Courting the Professor's Son
by wildstraydog
Summary: Yang liked to accept any challenge, the rush of taking the unattainable always thrilling. In her first year of Beacon Academy, she only planned to become the best Huntress Remnant ever saw... until she met Jaune Arc. The only problem, he was the son of Professor Goodwitch. Then again, it was the best obstacle to overcome.
1. Challenge Accepted

Courting the Professor's Son

By wildstraydog

Beta:

Chapter One: Challenge Accepted

 **So this story has been a long time coming, trust me I know. But now the stars have aligned, and the first chapter is coming out. This a very comedy-based story, so don't expect big plots or unstoppable villains to impede the protagonist's inevitable progress. Cinder and her group will probably show up, but just as transfer students, or in some romantic entanglement. Either way, just suspend belief and imagine a Beacon that was never devastated by the Grimm.**

 **I said this in my last update, but check my profile for new stories that popped into my head. Although, I don't know when it will appear.**

* * *

Yang considered herself a connoisseur for the more exciting things in the average person's life, already having the luxury of shaking a club owner down and annihilating most of the lapdogs he sent her way. But if there was one thing she treasured more than adventure, it was accepting a challenge that was impossible to overcome.

Oh sure, she was given the opportunity many times over to fight hungry ravenous hordes of higher-class Grimm. Yet that was given considering her future career, right? Her uncle, Qrow Branwen, had presented her who knows how many scenarios that pushed her past the limit of most Huntresses in-training. She could go on and brag about her achievements, but all of that would mean nothing once she touched ground at Beacon Academy, one of the most prestigious academies in Remnant. The acceptance rate was only fifteen percent, meaning out of the three thousand or so students at Signal, about 450 made it in for the initiation. Of course that number was filed down even more.

So how did someone like her with not the best grades make it into Beacon? Well it didn't hurt when you were a badass blonde bombshell. The Three B's as she liked to call them – she was a formidable opponent, but taking remedial classes from Qrow personally also had something to do with it. Her little sister on the other hand, Ruby Rose, would have no problem making it to Beacon with flying colors. She would miss seeing her adorable family dork – at the same time it gave her some freedom to spread her wings.

The airship was about what she expected for transportation: expansive, sluggish, and lavish. She couldn't turn an aisle without some grandiose caricature of a Huntsman staring back at her. Most of the seats were occupied by giggling cliques and guys on their scrolls. To be honest, Beacon was also an opportunity for her to make new friends... she didn't call those "fans" of hers back in Signal companions. The guys liked her for her assets and the women her outgoing personality.

The only odd figures that stood out from the bunch was the girl with piercing amber eyes and a cute little black ribbon on her dark hair.

People watching was only entertaining for a certain amount of time, so Yang decided to gaze out at the incoming view. She first caught sight of the massive cliffs that overlooked the glistening body of water under it. Near the edge was several docking bays for bullheads and the like, and if she narrowed her lilac eyes just a little, she could make out another entrance for sea-based vessels. Beacon Academy however was the real magnificent sight to gaze upon, its spires reminding her of a magical castle from one of Ruby's fairy-tale books.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" A soft voice said from beside her.

At first the unexpected guest surprised her, not aware of his presence because she was focused on Beacon's architectural wonder. But when her eyes set upon those blue orbs that looked back, Yang froze. Before her, saddled against the railing on the airship was a blonde Adonis, his disheveled hair dancing against the breeze that shot up. The boy's gentle face was brightened by his deep smile, an expression that was so heartwarming that it almost melted her soul.

"Uh... yeah."

His face dropped into his open palm. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you – I'm Jaune Arc." Jaune extended his gloved hands forward, yet she couldn't move, still mesmerized by his overall appearance.

Jaune didn't wear clunky armor like the rest of the boys she passed inside. Snugged firmly against his chest was a white buttoned up shirt with a bright red tie secured around his loose collar. Below his silver belt were khaki pants and a pair of brown loafers, the overall look giving him a more regal and clean appearance.

"Yang Xiao Long, at your service lady killer!" Did that really just come out of her mouth? What was she, some bimbo on the street? No, she had to play it cool, he was just some good looking guy, that doesn't mean she liked him.

"Well it's nice to meet you, are you excited about attending Beacon?" Jaune asked, rubbing the back of his neck in a cute little gesture.

"Of course," She almost yelled. "Aren't you? I mean this is what I've been looking forward to all my life, though not everyone is excited as me..." Her eyes glanced over to a prim girl in a white bolero jacket that chewed out some poor bystander in her way.

"Yeah, I guess, but the academy is nothing really new to me."

"Have you visited it before?" It wasn't that uncommon that some future candidates took a brief tour of the academy before enrolling. She only got to take a peek because of her father and uncle.

"Several times actually," He said with a soft chuckle, "Let's just say that I have family connected with the academy." Yang nodded in understanding, though she wondered why his expression lacked energy.

Maybe she could steer the conversation her way?

"So, tell me blondie, why are you dressed so fancy right now, expecting a hot date to meet you there?" Oh terrific, that was a great way to change the subject. She fiddled with a strand of her blonde locks in hope that he wouldn't catch on to her nervousness. Not that she needed to be embarrassed.

"Oh this," Jaune looked down and played with his tie. "I am meeting someone there, but it's not a girlfriend." A red tint popped up on his cheeks – it was pretty cute.

 _Attention all students, please get ready to depart for Beacon Academy, a mandatory briefing will occur in the main hall._ The woman who made the announcement was Professor Goodwitch, a stern teacher that was infamous within the halls of Signal Academy. The horror stories that Yang heard about her discipline made her shiver, but it made sense that Beacon would employ hardworking Huntresses.

When she directed her gaze onto Jaune, she caught a tiny grin, the look of melancholy from before all but gone. He was cheerful about something... perhaps just excited to finally make landfall? Actually, she did notice him grow a little pale as the ship rocked from turbulence. Jaune hunched over, holding his stomach with one hand covering his mouth. She walked over to assist when he lurched forward, a puddle of vomit bathing her shoes in a colorful palette of green and yellow.

Yeah today was going to be great...

"I'm so sorry," He said in-between coughs, "Motion sickness is actually really common, I thought the pills would last much longer!" Jaune wiped his mouth with a paper towel that he grabbed from the bathroom.

She was lucky enough to get most of it off, but they would have to be cleaned more thoroughly later. Honestly, she would have been more pissed if not for the way he handled the situation. Like a gentleman he apologized and cleaned up the mess for her, promising to buy her a new pair if necessary. Everyone made mistakes, and it reminded her that not even the most seemingly perfect individual is flawless. Jaune Arc was just another student, one that was very attractive and kind.

The airship docked at one of the pads away from the academy and settled, the latches hooking into place. Jaune looked at his scroll and became antsy, grabbing a green duffle bag he placed in the corner and wishing Yang farewell. She planned to stop him, but he rushed to where the ramp was unloading, leaving her in the dust. It sucked, where else was she going to find a kind good looking companion?

* * *

She waited for the crowd to disperse and walked down the ramp, bag in hand and watching for where most of the students were heading. A crowd of familiar looking faces waved to her by the fountain, an assortment of people that casually knew her in Signal Academy. It would be awkward to ignore them, not that she cared what they really thought of her. Yang pushed aside any mixed feelings and approached the group, brandishing the fakest smile she could present.

"Hey guys, enjoy the ride?"

"Oh it was awful, some of the boys smelled horribly, you would think most people would present themselves better." One of the girls complained with a flip of the hair.

A boy next to her chuckled. "Did you see that one dude with the heavy armor, that's Cardin Winchester, I hear his family is loaded." Yang just nodded along, catching a few words here and there.

While rude to say, to her they appeared as dark silhouettes. Yang decided to come up with a dumb excuse and leave the crowd, promising to visit another time when she wasn't busy – a false truth.

The entrance was empty save for a short number of girls she didn't recognize, until the same girl dressed in white passed by, a load of suitcases following behind her. She was definitely rich, and she understood immediately once she caught the Schnee logo on the side. That would make her Weiss Schnee, heiress of the Schnee Dust Company.

The heiress looked pissed, mumbling about stupid amateurs who understood nothing of Dust handling procedures. She was the type of girl that begged to be ignored, and she was happy enough to oblige. With no one to associate with and bored out of her mind, Yang decided to head straight for the main hall and hear whatever her future teachers had to say. She expected another boring speech like the one she heard in Signal, something about doing your best and fighting for humanity's future! Maybe it was pessimistic of her, but she wasn't ready for the home work and lessons, but the chance to meet new people.

The main hall was pretty spacious, much larger than Signal's ever was. The chairs and tables were set near the walls for standing room, where students of different cultures and nationalities stood anxiously. She leaned against one of the walls on the left side of the room, throwing her bag onto the floor and checking out the other potential teammates she would have... and the cute boys.

Jaune was nowhere in sight, which kept her excitement to a minimum. The girl with the bow was a little further up in the crowd, both eyes focused on some novel. However she did spot another celebrity in the midst of people, the gold tiara and bright red hair a pretty easy indicator. Pyrrha Nikos, Mistral champion and cover girl for the tasty delight, Pumpkin Pete's cereal – it wasn't that good.

Her taste in morning snacks didn't stop her eagerness to meet the girl. She pushed her way through the crowd and attempted to tap her shoulder, until a mic blared in the main hall, pulling everyone's attention to the strange looking man with a green scar and white hair. The odd man coughed into his hand and lifted the coffee mug in the other, taking a deep sip before releasing a broad sigh. Yang could see other teachers behind him near the curtains on the stage, glancing at the students who still made unnecessary noise.

"I see there's a lot of you today," the man who she assumed was the headmaster said. "I'm Ozpin, the headmaster of this academy, and sadly, I won't be seeing many of you come tomorrow evening." Well he sure knew how to set the mood, talk about depressing.

"This news isn't meant to disappoint, but to motivate you all to strive for the best and cement yourself as a potential Huntsman or Huntress – many of you belong here in these halls, now you just have to prove it." The massive hall went silent as Headmaster Ozpin walked away from the mic, the sound of his cane hitting the stage echoing.

Professor Goodwitch walked up to the podium and slapped what looked like a riding crop in her right hand. "Sleeping arrangements will take place in the ballroom, however dinner will be served in two hours beforehand. Initiation will begin tomorrow morning at 6 a.m. sharp, do not be late or you will be disqualified immediately."

The room erupted in chatter, the students digesting their headmaster and the strict Professor Goodwitch. She expected the tight rules, though she wasn't one for waking up early in the morning. Too bad Ruby wasn't here to help with that... oh well, she would just have to listen for her scroll alarm and not be late. Yang threw her bag over her shoulder and decided to head for the ballroom early and claim a spot before dinner. She would use that chance to greet Pyrrha Nikos then – she just had to fight the "Invincible Girl".

When she reached the ballroom, the spacious arrangements impressed her. There was clearly enough room for any kind of event Beacon wished to plan, and on the sides Yang could make out the fancy decorations that were reserved for dances or performances by the local school clubs. There was already a crowd building in the back corner near the windows, but she decided to grab a vacant spot in the middle, throwing down her bag and pulling out a sleeping bag. She only brought one bright yellow pillow from home, but it would do.

There was no sign of Pyrrha Nikos in the ballroom, so the girl must have gone to do something else. She released a sigh and decided to explore the school, particularly the combat training arenas. Yang didn't expect to see anyone in there so early, but with enough free time on her hand she figured why not. A good sweat and shower before dinner never hurt anyone, plus she felt like breaking stuff. In Patch all she had at her disposal to wreck were a few trees her father needed to be cut down, if Ruby didn't cut them first.

Yang let out a whistle at the main training room, its vast arena in the center standing out amongst the hundreds of spectator seats. She was so mesmerized that she almost didn't notice the lone figure down in the middle with a familiar mop of blonde hair. She rushed down the railings and observed carefully, trying not to break Jaune's concentration. He stood there in silence with sweat pouring down his brow, only slightly lifting his blade above his waist.

A buzzer went off near the ceiling, signaling that a new session commenced. The floor opened up to reveal a conveyor that threw out several drones with static bullets attached to the wings. When she last visited Beacon, Qrow wouldn't allow her to mess with anything, so the sophisticated drones that now hovered in the arena were a sight to behold. The best thing Signal ever got were practice dummies.

The first drone fired a couple of shots around Jaune's feet, the blonde stepping back and swinging his blade upward with the back of his right wrist. His sword cleaved the drone in half, the machine clanking to the ground and spilling wires and circuits into a scattered mess. She barely witnessed the move, his speed and precision were fantastical – and his posture was like a seasoned pro. Was the handsome and vomit prone boy an amazing fighter also? Yang sat at the edge of her seat to observe the rest of the session.

Two more drones flew to surround him, leaving the other three to observe from the back of the arena. Jaune charged forward, clasping the hilt of his blade with both hands and swung it in a succinct arc. Both drones above clattered into the ground with a loud bang, spilling into a pool of a hundred pieces. Jaune pulled a contraption from the back of his waist and unfolded it to a shield. A strange yellow logo was on the front that she couldn't make out. The drones were about to react, but Jaune swung his shield forward like a boomerang, the metal piercing through each machine until it flung back into his hand.

Yang found the only reaction that would be natural was to clap. Jaune's shoulders bounced up, and he looked up to see her with a blush – it was adorable that he got so startled. Wait, slow down tiger, you're not falling for a guy on the first day. Infatuation wasn't wrong, but Yang liked to actually get to know a guy before even considering a date. Well that was most girls, at least she hoped... she could admit that Jaune Arc was very interesting at the least.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle ya there!"

Jaune walked over to the computer by the front entrance, shutting the program off. He looked up at Yang and waved, grabbing a towel on one of the benches to wipe his face off. "It's alright, I just didn't expect anyone in here so early – I thought most of the students would be heading for the ballroom." They thought alike huh?

"I gotta say Jaune that was really impressive." He blushed again, scratching the right side of his cheek.

"Well, it took a lot of work to get where I am today, mostly because of my mother. How about yourself, you a pretty good fighter?" Yang accepted the humility with appreciation, but his question was a shot to her ego.

"Hah, I don't mean to brag," Yang began with a flex. "But I've been told that I'm pretty good. I was one of the top ranking students back in Signal." Jaune smiled at the boast, walking up beside her to examine the gauntlets on her wrists.

Ember Celica was her greatest achievement in recent years. Her sister Ruby helped with the design, but she made the final touches. She wanted a close-range weapon that suited her fighting style; the shotgun aspect was added later when considering targets from afar like Nevermores. Either way, she was proud of the weapon and would tell anyone that was willing to listen, including Jaune Arc.

"Gauntlets...," Jaune mused aloud. "Do they carry Dust shells? From the design, they look as if they release with every punch." That was... an amazing observation. How smart was this guy really?

"What about you hot stuff, does your sword transform into anything? I saw that awesome shield action." He chuckled, looking down at the collapsible shield on his waist.

"Actually, that's it – just a plain sword and shield."

"Really? No machine-gun or grenade launcher hidden in that shield I don't know about?" She couldn't imagine a student not having a mecha-shifting weapon in Beacon. Only aged Huntsman and Huntresses used classics like that.

"Nope, just my sword Crocea Mors," Jaune continued to laugh. "It's an heirloom in my family, having been used for generations against the Grimm." Crocea Mors... that name was familiar to her, she just couldn't remember why.

"Well my gauntlets are called Ember Celica, and don't ever underestimate in a battle." She cockily replied with a wink. Jaune shot another cheeky grin and brushed past her up the stairs, dragging the towels he brought with him.

"Leaving so soon?" She cooed.

"Afraid so, I have to check up on a few things before dinner. Maybe I'll see you there?" He waved and exited the room, the sound of his footsteps trailing in her ears.

"Damn, I forgot to challenge him."

* * *

For dinner, Yang felt like some good old pizza to satisfy her stomach. Her training session went on a little bit longer than she thought. It was hard to resist a good smack down, and Jaune's earlier performance boosted her motivation. The cafeteria was packed, students crushed together like canned food, squirming to find a chance for a table. It would take close to an hour maybe if she waited in line, but the amount of people was only because of the students that weren't knocked out by initiation. She was about to leave and call it an early night when she caught Pyrrha Nikos in her periphery, the champion sitting alone.

This was the best chance to introduce herself, yet... why was one of the most popular girls in all of Remnant sitting at a table by herself? It didn't add up, unless she was really a bitch in person.

"Hey, Pyrrha Nikos right?" The redhead jerked back to look at Yang, her expression painted with embarrassment. Was she really that shy?

"Oh, yes, I apologize for the awkward stare."

"No problem, so why are you sitting alone?"

Pyrrha's expression dampened, her bright green eyes fading. Her plump lips loosened into a frown and she looked back at some of the tables that were whispering. "I... assume you know who I am?" Yang shot a glare at the whispering table, the sound of chairs shifting not going unnoticed.

"Yeah, what of it?" Pyrrha's eyes widened.

"Well, I wish more people were like you," She somberly replied, "Not afraid to approach and get to know me and not the persona I go by." Ah, so isolation from her celebrity status. It was sad to see a girl so beautiful all alone. She forgot about her excitement to challenge the champion in a battle.

"Guess what P-money, today you just made a new best friend!" Yang patted her on the shoulder with glee and took a seat opposite of her. Pyrrha titled her head back and grew a wide smile, a light chuckle escaping.

"Sooo, tell me, you got the scoop on the initiation?"

The redhead set down her fork and wiped her face with a napkin, a cute grin twisting in unease. "I'm afraid not, but one of the second years told me the initiation changes every year at Beacon." Well that sucked... pretty smart of the headmaster to change it up, and exciting.

"Oh well, guess I'll have to wing it. How about some girl talk to pass the time? See any boys so far that you fancy?" Pyrrha blushed and shook her head rapidly. She was pretty shy from what Yang could tell, so it didn't surprise her – wait until she saw Jaune Arc.

"Excuse me, Pyrrha Nikos?" A feminine voice cut-in.

Yang looked up in surprise to see the prim rich girl she saw in the main hall – Weiss Schnee. Her face was very doll-like, a porcelain face with bright icy blue eyes. The girl's hair was white as snow, tied in a titled ponytail with a tiara centered on top of her head. The rest of her outfit was white, the bolero jacket red on the inside, and her combat skirt was laced with light blue snowflakes on the end.

"Um, yes, and you must be Weiss Schnee." Pyrrha knew who she was, though not that all unexpected. Of course two celebrities knew each other, but by the uneasy tone Pyrrha adopted, she wasn't all that excited.

"Thank you, I'm so glad to see you remembered me," Weiss remarked, a smile on her petite lips. "Do you mind if I join you both?" She looked over at Yang and narrowed her eyes with a wary stare.

She wasn't going to like this girl was she?

"Did you arrive from Atlas without any trouble?" Pyrrha asked, a steady tone in her question.

"Yes, it was _mostly_ pleasant, except that someone almost knocked over my suitcase full of valuable Dust. How about yourself Pyrrha?" Guess she wasn't here huh?

"Same, I had no troubles coming in from Mistral. Oh, this is Yang Xiao Long - she's been very kind to me so far." Score one for Pyrrha Nikos. Weiss turned to look at her with what Yang assumed was a fake smile.

"Nice to meet you Weiss Cream," She cringed at the change in her name. "How did you meet Pyrrha here?" Weiss released a sigh and looked forward at Pyrrha.

"If you must know, we met about a year ago during a charity event in Mistral. I was impressed by her natural skill and composure in battle, not to mention her kind personality really stuck out to me." Pyrrha lightened up a bit, perhaps happy to know that Weiss also liked her as a person.

"Thank you for saying that Weiss."

"I have to admit, she's pretty shy - we just got done talking about boys." Weiss rolled her eyes, wiping her mouth with a napkin like Pyrrha did earlier, only more dainty-like.

"Pyrrha is probably more concerned with initiation tomorrow I imagine," Weiss commented. "Besides, we haven't even secured out spots yet, what if we like a boy and he doesn't get to attend Beacon?" Huh, Yang had to give it to the heiress, she made a good point.

 _There was no way Jaune would flunk out._

"Sounds like you do have someone in mind." Yang teased.

Weiss huffed at the insinuation and picked up her tray, bidding them farewell.

"She's... pretty nice."

Pyrrha let out a breath of relief and stood up from the table with her tray. "She means well, I think, hopefully her time at Beacon will open her eyes to the world outside of the mansion walls." Yang didn't expect to hear that from the champion, but she was learning a lot about people in general today.

"I have to gather my stuff Yang, but I hope to see you later." She politely bowed and turned to return her tray, leaving Yang alone to wallow.

Night came faster than she anticipated, and most of the students were crammed into the ballroom setting up their sleeping bags. She changed into her pajamas and lied onto her comfy makeshift bed, scanning the room for anyone interesting to spy on. No one really caught her eye, save for the muscular boys wrestling in the corner. She imagine what kind of muscle Jaune was packing, maybe that shirt hiding some quality abs from her?

Sadly, she didn't see Jaune among the masses in the room. Yang sat up with a light grunt and checked the further corners of massive space in hopes of spotting a blonde crop of hair. He always seemed to be missing whenever she wanted to see him... at least it deepened the mystery for her. A light cough broke her hunt for Jaune, and she looked over to the right side of the room near the windows. Against the wall with a nose buried deep in her book was the same black haired girl with the bow she saw on the airship. Those eyes were so enticing to look at, giving her an almost animal quality to them.

Screw it, Jaune wasn't around and she wasn't tired yet. Yang stood from her spot and maneuvered through the sea of sleeping bags to approach the bookish girl. Her socks muffled the sound of her footsteps, but when she approached, the bow on the girl's head twitched. She found it funny, but the suspicious glare directed at her said otherwise about the girl's personality. She was also in her pajamas, but the girl's legs left a lot to the imagination -it kind of made her jealous.

"Uh, hey, what's up, saw you were all alone over here." Amber eyes blinked in curiosity and the girl set down the bound novel onto the floor.

"And what about it?" Okay this was going to be tough.

Yang released a sigh. "Honestly, I'm bored and saw you were by yourself," She began. "I'm just trying to meet new people, kind of what I've been doing all day." She hummed at Yang's explanation and picked her book up, opening it to the exact spot she was at earlier.

"I appreciate the gesture, but I'm trying to read before the mandatory curfew tonight." Yang shrugged, walking back over to her bed.

"Blake Belladonna."

"Huh?" She glanced back.

"My name, its Blake Belladonna." Yang's smile grew, leaving behind Blake with a brief wave. Not everyone was open to socializing day one.

* * *

With about thirty minutes left to kill before the lights went out, she decided to leave the ballroom and head for the roof. The experience wouldn't be the same as in Patch, the lights in the city blinding most of the stars from view. Still, the crisp night air against her smooth skin felt nice, and it gave her time to think. Most of the students at Signal assumed she had it all: looks, popularity, pure strength, but that didn't define who she was. Yang was becoming a Huntress because... that was all she could think of doing in her life.

The roof door creaked opened as she opened it, the hinges rusted from age and use. A soft breeze caressed her rosy cheeks when she stepped outside, and the moon above shone a ray of light onto her blonde locks. The view was actually romantic, if she was into that lovey-dovey crap. She appreciated a good horizon to look at though, and it sort of reminded her of the treehouse she and Ruby built in Patch.

"Nice view, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Yang froze, craning her neck to see that Jaune Arc was leaning against the railing next to her, just like he did on the airship.

"Damn, this is the second time you scared me today!" Yang chuckled with a low pant, earning a mumbled apology from her fellow blonde.

"Again, sorry, I just didn't want to interrupt your moment – you looked deep in thought." He shot her that signature grin of his that she was beginning to love.

"Don't worry about it, you're just sneaker than me I suppose. Why are you up here by yourself?" Curse her lack of puns in this situation!

Jaune got up from the railing and smiled, gathering up his weapons to haul on his back. "Like you, I really admire the view here."

"Your right, it's very... calming."

"Guess you could say we finished this day up with a... Yang." The world came to a stand still, the air surrounding her freezing in place. Jaune Arc, the seemingly perfect man in every aspect, despite her reservations when it came to her emotions... said a pun.

In that lone second, the gears in her brain turned at ferocious speeds. Yang's heart pumped a mile a second, and a blush conquered her cheeks to create a red tint so deep it was like a fresh tomato. Yang Xiao Long had decided there that Jaune Arc would become her boyfriend, no matter what it took or whose bridges she had to burn.

"Hey, Jaune, I was wondering-" The door opened from behind her, again catching her off guard. She was about to yell when her body went rigid at the sight of Professor Glynda Goodwitch, the infamous teacher of Beacon Academy.

"What are you doing up here Jaune?" The professor questioned with a narrowed glare, her eyes darting back to Yang who shrunk in fear.

"Sorry, I got a little distracted and wanted to look at the stars before going to bed, it won't happen again Mom." Wait... did he say?

"Oh Yang, I forgot to introduce you," Jaune walked up to Professor Goodwitch and wrapped an arm around her shoulder with a bright smile. "This is my mom and professor here at Beacon Academy, Glynda Goodwitch." Nope she heard that correctly.

Challenge accepted.

* * *

 **So you probably noticed a few changes in this version of Remnant. I have modeled the schools differently, including how classes work and what each student will have to do in order to make good scores. Jaune is the same klutz and doofus you're all familiar with, except that he is well trained, because of course with a mother like Professor Goodwitch you're going to be whipped into shape.**

 **Ruby is missing from Beacon as well... but she'll show up at one point, just not going to let you know when. Yang's interactions with Weiss are also different, because Ruby never upset the heiress to make her dislike Yang for being related to her, that and Yang has no reason to side with Ruby. I'm already having a lot of fun with this story so stay tuned!**


	2. A Cold Adversary

Courting the Professor's Son

By wildstraydog

Chapter Two: A Cold Adversary

 **The response to the first chapter has been great, and I'm glad everyone is accepting the new take on Jaune and the interactions between other characters. I think some people got confused so I'll clarify, Ruby** _ **will**_ **be in this story, she just hasn't appeared yet so don't worry. As for how each character will be in the story, it's a surprise, and you'll find out one of them in this chapter.**

 **I'm going to try and release a new chapter of this story every week alongside another story. So I want this one up and hopefully the next chapter of The Heat, if possible anyway. My hopes are that you appreciate this story without too much thinking in the process, because at its core, this is a comedy, and was made intentionally that way. Also looking for cover art if anyone is interested or knows someone!**

That night Yang slept like a rock, her dreams of achieving greatness in the world seemed realistic. Yet her thoughts kept drifting back to the grand mystery of Jaune's family and the surprise reveal of who his mother was. Professor Glynda Goodwitch, assistant to Headmaster Ozpin and teacher for Focused Combat Studies. They were each blonde so that made sense, but why didn't she keep her last name? She couldn't ask something so personal to Jaune after just meeting him yesterday.

Yang's alarm on her scroll rang in the early morning, her fist smashing the snooze button so it didn't arouse her fellow students in the ballroom. She rose from her sleeping bag and rubbed her grungy eyes, releasing a long yawn as she stretched out her slender legs. From the windows a soft light trailed into the room, and through the blinds Yang could see that the Sun was only just beginning to rise. She never planned to get up so early, dreading the very thought of losing any beauty sleep... but she had a lot of things to do before initiation.

She whipped back her disheveled blonde hair and gathered up the sleeping bag into her green duffle bag. Another yawn escaped in the process, the effects of less sleep already coming back with a vengeance. Yang tiptoed around the students and decided to hit the showers near the training rooms. She had to wash before anyone saw her luscious hair in such a pathetic state, especially Jaune Arc. One time she found a split end and it drove her crazy for hours; it took a lot of work to look hot and maintain those silky locks.

The showers were near the arena she found Jaune in yesterday. With the room empty she flung her bag into a nearby locker and hopped into a shower, blasting the hot water on full. The water cascaded across her naked body, her bones and muscles relaxing against the temperature. Steam rose from the ground and opened her dirty pores, the stench from lying in a cramped sleeping bag next to hundreds of others evaporating. She grabbed some shampoo and conditioner and began her tedious ritual of thoroughly washing her hair.

Yang decided to mull over her game plan for initiation, and how to get Jaune in her team. From what her uncle told her the point of initiation was to form the teams that each student would be with for the next four years. Jaune was already a given, but Pyrrha would also make a good candidate for a spot... she would have liked Ruby. Weiss Schnee was definitely not suited for her team, their personalities primed to conflict with each other at every turn. What about Blake Belladonna, she seemed nice, sort of, at least courteous.

She took the tip of her fingers and gently massaged her scalp, closely paying attention to the center. Yang released a sigh at the pleasant sensation, always taking prolonged enjoyment in the shower. Even with her dream team within sight, she still had no idea how the teams were formed and what the initiation even entailed. Beacon was a strict institution with outlandish trials, at least that was what her father always said. The point system frightened her, not knowing what professors scored you on besides combat ability.

It was nerve-wracking

Satisfied, Yang twisted the knob and let the last droplets of hot water fall onto her refreshed face. She stepped out of the shower and grabbed a nearby towel, wrapping it around her tight waist. A game plan on convincing Jaune wasn't in the books, not if she didn't want to look desperate – a subtle nudge or minor suggestion could work, maybe if she upped the charm a little bit? Either way her future teammates were somewhat decided on, though if she has to wing it that always works to. Just avoid Weiss Schnee and everything will be fine.

By the time she got dressed, most of the students were waking up from their slumber, the rays of the sun glaring through the glass windows. She caught Jaune in the corner rolling up his bunk, eyes wide and unfettered by the tired look many of the others shared around him. Yang couldn't help but the admire his muscles as his arms slung the bag over his shoulder, the white shirt he wore hugging chiseled abs. Okay, she had to calm down and stop ogling.

Breakfast was first on her list, and if she could run into Pyrrha there was a chance to broach the topic of becoming partners. The line wasn't near as terrible, most of the students still in the showers or waking up, giving her a chance to rack up some fried eggs and bacon. Signal had good food, but Beacon's cafeteria was godly, the chefs somehow able to make restaurant quality meals for them.

Someone was looking out for her today as she immediately spotted that red ponytail by the windows of the cafeteria. Again Pyrrha was seated by herself, though Weiss Schnee seemed to be striking up a conversation with her. It didn't matter, she was determined to get Pyrrha on her team if possible... but she suspected Weiss was after the same thing. Yang released a sigh and sported a grin, sashaying over to the table and earning a couple of stares from the boys around her.

She found it fun to tease them.

"Morning P-money!" Pyrrha looked over with a bright smile, offering a chair next to her. Weiss just continued to nibble on some hash browns and acknowledged her presence with a brief nod. Typical of a rich girl to not consider her worthy in their presence.

"Good morning Yang, did you sleep well?" Oh did she ever, especially with Jaune in her dreams, but that was another tale for later.

"Pretty good, how are you doing Weiss?" Yang decided to at least try and be polite.

"Thank you for asking," Weiss set down her fork and wiped her mouth. "My accommodations were fine, though it was noisy around me, you would think the other students would know what curfew actually means." Yang would take that as a simple yes – she always had something to complain about.

"So Pyrrha...," Yang drawled, "I was thinking, maybe you and me could team up?" Pyrrha stopped eating and turned to look at her, that same ever present smile remaining in her expression. She was so innocent and naïve, and the awkward silence wasn't helping at the table.

"Well, that sounds grand, but I'm not sure how the teams are formed. I wouldn't mind being on a team with you, what do you say Weiss?" She looked over at the heiress and saw the off titled ponytail bobbing.

"I have no qualms, however Pyrrha is right in that we shouldn't assume who our teammates will be – but I think having you as a partner would be excellent." She took the idea much better than she originally thought.

"Alright, sounds like a game plan then!" Yang dug her fork into the eggs and scooped them up into her mouth, relishing the flavor.

"The only thing we know about initiation is the point system and that we all start out with zero." Yang stopped munching on her food and went wide-eyed. Did she hear Weiss say they started with nothing...?

"Don't tell me you didn't read your scroll this morning?" Weiss huffed at her reaction.

"Uh... whoops, silly me." She chuckled, pulling out her scroll and looking into her recent messages. One was from Ruby that she would read later, but like Weiss said, Professor Goodwitch sent out a message to all the students.

 _Attention all students, everyone is required to meet in the main hall an hour before noon for mandatory instructions on the initiation for Beacon Academy. Anyone who is late will be disqualified for the year, and the use of any illegal objects or substances will be met with the same punishment and possible involvement of law enforcement._

 _A point system will be tallied at the end of initiation, so please keep track of your scrolls at all times. Remember, anyone late will be disqualified!_

Her face almost went pale when she was done reading the paragraphs. The point system worried her, and in the corner of her scroll the number allotted to her was zero. She could only guess that everyone's scrolls read the same, but how were points earned, by killing Grimm? There was no point in making a fuss about it as the headmaster would it explain soon. When she looked back up from her scroll she watched as Jaune walked through the cafeteria doors with a bright smile. His expression was cheerier and he carried a kick in his step.

Pyrrha must have noticed her staring, coughing into her palm with a cheeky grin. "Somebody you know...?" Yang chuckled, shrugging off the suggestion.

"Nah, I just ran into him yesterday."

"If you'll excuse me," Weiss said, "It was nice eating with the both of you, but I should get ready before our meeting in the main hall." The ice queen picked up her tray and hurried along, brushing past some hungry students in line.

"Think it was something I said?"

* * *

Despite her icy exterior, Weiss was pleasantly surprised by how fast she became friends with Pyrrha Nikos and even Yang Xiao Long. Even she was aware of how difficult it could be to stand her company - but she was trying her best – she even accepted Yang Xiao Long as a potential teammate with her and Pyrrha! But the audacious girl wasn't the reason she left in such a hurry from the cafeteria, no, it was because of another blonde. After months of anticipation, she finally saw Jaune Arc again, casually strolling into the room without a care in the world.

He was one of the main reasons why she attended Beacon Academy, a reasonable excuse to escape from Atlas and spread her wings. They first met when she was fifteen at a charity ball with her mother and father in Vale. Even in her mid-teens, she was a privileged child, riding on the spoils of her family name and looking down at those that would ridicule the Schnee name. At the beginning of the night, her father, Jacques Schnee, informed her that Professor Goodwitch's son would be in attendance with the Vale council.

Winter's lectures on the truth of her family's business did not go unheard, but she was in doubt, not wanting to believe that her parents were capable of such malicious practices upon the Faunus. She was eager to meet the only son of the famous Arc line, plus it was keep her mind off such divisive thoughts. Weiss noticed him step away from most of the crowd inside and walk out onto the balcony. She maneuvered through all the pink banners and short tables, ignoring the brief greetings that some of the socialites passed on.

Outside was much quieter, save for the honking of cars below in the cityscape. No one else was outside, but near the edge of the balcony was a large portrait, its golden frames containing an illustrative depiction of Faunus workers rebelling against one of their masters. The colors were deep and passionate, and the outer lines jagged and furious, displaying a sense of urgency in the group. The artist was familiar to her, but it was their least popular piece at the event, not even garnering interested buyers during the auction.

Jaune leaned on the metal railing and gazed upon the portrait with his soft blue eyes. He stood up and grinned, closing the distance between him and the painting. Weiss didn't how to describe what she felt, the light aura he gave off brought a tranquil sensation. Jaune turned back to look at her and dropped his punch, scrambling like a fool to clean up the mess that almost stained her expensive azure colored satin dress. She couldn't believe someone so regal and handsome in appearance was such a klutz.

 _"I'm sorry, I didn't expect anyone to sneak up on me out here." He wiped down his hands with a napkin on the table and bowed in apology._

 _"It's fine... but why are you out here all by yourself?"_ Someone of his position would usually be outside greeting others with his family.

 _"Oh, well,"_ Jaune stuttered and twiddled with his fingers _. "I'm not one for socializing with those elite types... and I was looking for this portrait anyway."_ Weiss hummed with interest, glancing back at the painting.

 _"You're a fan of Pierre Karpyshyn, I'm surprised – most people don't know who he is."_ Jaune chuckled and took a seat at the table next to the painting.

He invited her to sit down, which she did hesitantly, flattening the end of skirt. _"You're right to say that, he's not a very popular artist, probably because of his views on Faunus equality. That's another reason I came outside, I couldn't take some of the comments."_ Her features softened, remembering the bigoted rhetoric that was tossed around by some of her father's associates.

 _"What do you like about it?"_

 _"I find it a brave depiction of facing injustice, people willing to take a stand for what's right in this world."_ Jaune lost his goofy expression and became stern, turning to stare at Weiss.

" _That's why I'm going to Beacon to study, to become a Huntsman like my father and not stand for the injustice that happens still in our world, including to the Faunus."_ She was quiet, digesting Jaune's bombastic statement – he wanted to rid the world of evil, like some hero in a comic book.

Yet, Weiss really admired that, for someone to hold on to their set of beliefs in the face of the harsh reality their present world adopted. This idealism pressed her to question him, to hear out his honest opinion on the Schnee Dust Company and not what some aristocrat would babble. Jaune Arc seemed competent, more intelligent than his clumsy and aloof expressions let on. She could tell by his sharp aura and defined muscles that he was well-trained.

 _"Jaune, may I ask you something, about my father's company?"_

 _"Of course."_

 _"What do you think of the SDC's affairs with their Faunus workers? Is the company treating them fairly, or are they just slaves earning minimum wage?"_ She was blatant in her question, not wanting Jaune to miss the agitation in her voice.

He closed his eyes and folded both arms, releasing a sigh before focusing on Weiss. She finally noticed Jaune's handsome features and rigid jawline, his blonde disheveled hair dancing against the wind that blew up against the skyscrapers. She recognized the look, the pity in his soft blue orbs that dipped after the prolonged gaze. Weiss found her fist tighten, her manicured nails sinking into her soft skin.

Was her doubt that obvious?

 _"Weiss... don't put too much value in what I'm about to say, after all, I'm only a teenage boy – but I do find some of the practices your family's company upholds questionable. Since you're the heiress, my only hope is that you'll push for change."_ Jaune shot another genuine smile, causing her to blush.

It was that conversation that changed everything. The rest of the night she grew nauseous from hearing father's business partners cackle about suppressed rebellions in Atlas. Throughout the rest of the months, she took everything her parents said with scrutiny, looking into the shady dealings the SDC practiced, finding a number of discrepancies in the wages being distributed to Faunus workers in the mines. The final straw was her father's aggressive campaign to shut down Faunus Dust stores in the financial district of Vale, gaining a monopoly in that particular market.

She wouldn't complain to Winter about being wrong and admit her mistakes, but she found herself constantly thinking back on the blonde that inspired such change within her. Thankfully, she would get to meet Jaune again, during a visit from the Arc family regarding a broken contract on the SDC's part. Her father failed to provide the Faunus workers in the Arc's town higher wages, leaving Louis Arc quite irate.

These continued discussions between her and Jaune continued for months whenever they had a chance to meet. Their talks delighted her, with every subject matter they discussed on a high intellectual level. Jaune was one of the only people who truly understood her besides her sister, and her father didn't mind the visits, simply because he saw it as an opportunity to wed her off. She wasn't ready for marriage, but there was no denying that she fell in love with the blonde. Her affections gave her sister an excuse to tease her, though she accepted him as a suitable candidate.

Upon seeing Jaune in the cafeteria, a mix of emotions rose within her, creating a fluttery sensation to course through her body. She couldn't sit with the others why she mulled over how to approach him without appearing desperate for company. She wanted Jaune on her team, plain and simple, the only problem was Yang Xiao Long and Pyrrha Nikos... whether Jaune knew it or not, he had a tendency to draw others toward him with his gentle personality and handsome looks.

Pyrrha didn't seem the type of girl to actively pursue a boy unwarranted, that and she didn't even know Jaune personally. Yang on the other hand spelled trouble, her outgoing behavior and confidence gave the girl an advantage. That blonde girl's figure and revealing attire were able to seduce even the mightiest of men, while she... lacked in certain departments. But, she made it up with intelligence and manners! They both had a personal bond, living up to their family names while trying to become Huntsman and Huntress.

Her looks be damn, she had a better shot at him!

Students would be gathering their equipment and weapons before the meeting in the main hall, so she decided to look for Jaune there. Myrtenaster was already attached to her hip, and the clicking of her heels alerted nearby students to her presence, some of them stepping out of the way with disgruntled expressions. She held a grimace, not wanting to be treated like royalty but another normal girl at Beacon. Instead she ignored the whispers and caught Jaune in her sights, closing his locker and slipping on a chestplate that was shaded a dark orange.

With no one in sight, she approached her target, swallowing the anxiety that built up in her stomach earlier. A light blush tinted her cheeks as she drew closer, admiring the outline his abs made through his loose fitted t-shirt that was now hidden by the armor.

"J-Jaune, how are you doing?"

He turned with a wide-eyed stare and smiled, fitting some fingerless gloves onto his hands. "Weiss, you made it, I'm happy you were able to join Beacon." To Weiss' surprise, he enveloped her into a deep hug, almost causing her to pass out from sheer embarrassment.

"Of course I made it," She huffed. "The test was simple, and Beacon's requirements are lighter than Atlas. How is your... mother doing?" She tried to avoid talking about his family since the split, but it was easier to get it out of the way.

"She's doing well - I got to see her this morning and yesterday afternoon. What about you, how are things back at home, is Winter still mad at me?" For taking the heart of her little sister, probably always.

"Everything was fine when I left, and Whitley even said goodbye before I departed. Father is still... upset about my arrangements." Jaune nodded, knowing full well how Jacques Schnee took her declaration.

"Well, you're here now, and that's all that counts."

"So have you thought about-?"

"Hey _lady killer_ ," Yang cooed, leaning on Jaune's shoulder with a sultry grin. "I see you met Weiss cream here, hope her personality didn't _chill_ you to the bone." Weiss inwardly fumed at Yang's appearance, but maintained her composure to shoot back at her snarky comment and awful pun.

"Actually," Weiss said. "Jaune and I have known each other for over a year now, we're just catching up on old times, isn't that right?" Jaune chuckled, but nodded hesitantly, sensing the tension around him.

Yang didn't seem fazed by her announcement. "Oh really, well they always say new friends can liven things up, plus it's nice to have a fellow blonde." Jaune stepped between the two with a wary smile.

"Ladies... we're all friends here right...?"

"Hello Yang, Weiss, is everything okay over here?" Pyrrha's lovely voice simmered down the heat between the two girls, alleviating Jaune's immediate concerns.

"Pyrrha, I'm glad to see you!" Yang exclaimed.

"Sorry, did I interrupt something over here?"

"Not at all," Jaune stated. "We're all just meeting each other, I'm sorry but are you Pyrrha Nikos?" Yang wretched back at his statement, knowing full well that she didn't want to be praised for her numerous victories.

"Um, yes, I am, and you are...?" Pyrrha extended her hand.

"Excuse me, Jaune Arc, I'm big a fan of yours, but I'm glad I can meet the real you and not what the media says." Pyrrha's face brightened at the exchange, graciously shaking his hand in return. Weiss wasn't surprised by the response, treating her the same when they first met.

Jaune looked down at his scroll and blanched at the time.

"Not to end our conversation so abruptly, but we're all gonna be late if we don't move quickly!" Jaune rushed past them in a blaze, and Weiss followed, cursing herself for losing track of time so easily.

She blamed Yang for that.

* * *

The main hall was crowded, bustling with the mob of students that squeezed into the room yesterday. Yang made sure to stand close to Jaune, all the while earning a nasty glare from the heiress. There was no doubt that she cared for Jaune, the blush on her cheeks earlier a pretty obvious indicator. She was already at a disadvantage after learning that Weiss and Jaune knew each other prior to Beacon. She wouldn't let that affect her, there were plenty of tricks up her sleeve.

The heiress also stood on the other side of Jaune, intentionally brushing her shoulders against him. Weiss was pulling out all the stops, fluttering her eyes and flipping that ponytail of hers. She was about to whisper in Jaune's ear until the microphone on stage blared a screeching noise. Again the stoic headmaster appeared on stage, blowing on his mug to cool off the brew. Every time she saw the man he somehow was still holding a mug, sipping on that drab coffee that Qrow often mentioned during his trips.

"Hmm, I see most of you made it, I've been informed that 100 of you have been disqualified." Students murmured at the news, but she wasn't that shocked, they must have gotten scared.

* * *

"I won't take much of your time, because time will be essential in this initiation – by now I'm sure you've noticed on your scrolls the point allocation system." Everyone around her motioned their heads downward.

 _Of course we did._

"The way this initiation works is simple, you'll all be dropped off in the Emerald forest which is teeming with a variety of Grimm to depose of. Killing a Grimm allots five points, and a higher class Grimm such as a King Taijitu will give you ten." Yang desperately repeated the rules in her head, the initiation already getting more complicated then she desired.

"How many points are we able to get?" A male student yelled out.

Ozpin motioned to Professor Goodwitch to take his place on stage. She tapped on the device in her hand and a large white screen materialized overhead. The screen showed a daily tally for... each day? Yang paled at the realization – their initiation was going to consist of a whole five days! Her eyes zipped across all of the text to make sure she missed nothing. The goal for initiation was 200 points, so if she grinded all day on lower class Grimm it might take a whole day, maybe two if she wanted to rest for a bit.

"Yes, 200 points might seem a lot for killing Grimm, but know that the whole initiation won't just be eliminating monsters in a forest. There will be activities throughout the week with a cap on how many points can be earned." _Oh lord, please anything but written exams!_

"As Headmaster Ozpin has stated, the first part of the initiation will be conducted for the first day, with a time limit of one hour. The rest of the trials will consist of different time lengths. 50 Points are required to complete the first trial, with each partner mandated to collect 25 points each. In the Emerald forest, the first person you lay eyes upon will be your partner for the next four years." A wail of anxiety erupted amongst the students, including herself.

What if she couldn't find Jaune first, or even worse, she could end up with Weiss! She would have to play it safe and stalk Jaune like a tiger did its prey.

"This will be interesting..." Jaune remarked with a smile. _Maybe for an oblivious handsome fool_!

Ozpin coughed into the mic to settle the murmuring. "All students please make your way to the cliffs above the Emerald forest to prepare for initiation," He finsihed. "And good luck, better men and women have failed.

They all marched past her, carrying the same look of anguish and nervousness that preoccupied every fiber in her being. This was her march of death... no, she wouldn't let Weiss succeed just because the odds were stacked against her! This was the ultimate challenge.

* * *

 **So yep, initiation is going to be very different, at least mostly. Someone asked if I got the idea for this story from Couer's writer game series, and the answer is I didn't, though if attempted to write one he would let me, we're friends of course! But some of this has been inspired by a recent Anime, well some of the attributes I guess, but not a lot.**

 **To make things simple, I'll layout the point system for the first test:**

 **Lower Class Grimm – 5 points**

 **Higher Class Grimm – 10 points**

 **Partners must accumulate 25 points each before the hour ends. I'll be keeping the next two trials a secret for now!**


	3. The Elusive Blond

Courting the Professor's Son

By wildstraydog

Chapter Three: The Elusive Blonde

 **Things are going along smoothly I would say, but expect these chapters to be shorter now that the first two are out of the way. I don't know how long this series is going to run, but I have a lot planned out already so, who knows? I hope everyone is excited like me for RWBY Volume 5 next Saturday, I can't wait to see what happens.**

* * *

From above the cliffs that overlooked the Emerald forest, Yang felt a bit of trepidation. She kicked a few pebbles off and whistled at the height, glad to have a pair of gauntlets that would slow her descent. The others... might not be so lucky, and she couldn't see Jaune anywhere, the line of students on the cliff making it impossible to discern any of the people she met earlier today. There were so many students that rappels were added for them to climb down.

What puzzled her though was one of the conditions of the initiation. The number of initiates exceeded how many teams could be formed, so what happened if she looked at some random bozo and they couldn't meet two other people? Well now that she thought about it, she answered her own question. Part of the initiation was finding the appropriate team members and securing a full team in one hour.

Okay she could do this, no sweat, just make sure you look for anyone with bright red hair or a mop of blonde. Yang looked at her scroll one last time to see if anymore messages from Ruby came through. She was doing well at Signal, though she almost blew up in a Dust experiments class, at least she was making some friends there. If Ruby could make through a rough day then she could pass this initiation with flying colors, well at least the first part of it.

She almost dropped her scroll in fright as the device rung and vibrated in an uncontrollable manner. The screen rotated into a rectangle, flashing a timer that appeared at the upper right hand of the corner. This was it, the initiation was moments away from starting, and she couldn't help be nervous, palms becoming sweaty in the heat. In the distance she could make out a faint shape that looked to be a structure of sorts. The only reason she could make it out was its immense size, easily towering past the shrubbery that appeared like a sea from the cliffs.

 _Attention students, the initiation will now begin in 30 seconds. Remember, the first person you make eye contact with after landing in the Emerald forest will be your partner for the remaining four years. For anyone who requests to drop out of the initiation, they made do so by pressing the gray button on your scroll. Once the timer has begun it will not stop._

 _Good luck._

The pad was uneven but she relaxed her feet, leaning back so she could maximize her jump. Sure heading for the ruins was a gamble, and there was no guarantee that Jaune was headed there, but it was the only plan she could think of. Hopefully Pyrrha and Weiss had the same logic, granted most of the initiates were going to the same place. She could kill a few Grimm along the way and rack up her points, leaving enough time to spare with whoever she met with.

Silence prevailed among them until a loud bell alarmed. Yang didn't look back, propelling herself off the pad and into the air. She kept her arms to the side and leaned forward, aiming for the middle of the forest. She wouldn't make it exactly but was close enough that she fired off a couple rounds to slow her descent, jerking back against the wind as each shell dropped. She landed on a nearby branch that looked sturdy enough to support her weight and grumbled.

That was the easy part, now she needed to find some Grimm to kill. A thud to the right alerted her, and she jumped into the bushes, to avoid being detected. There was no way she would be spotted by someone else this early in the initiation. A few curses were let out by what sounded like a male's voice. A young man with light brown hair rubbed his back, checking his immediate surroundings for anyone with a grimace. He didn't look nice by the scowl he gave off.

"Nobody huh, figures." He kicked up a clump of dirt and picked up the large mace on the ground. She waited a few minutes until he departed, breathing a sigh of relief. There was chance in hell she going to team up with that oaf.

She decided to remain low and travel through the dense forest cautiously, brushing aside any foliage that dared to threaten her perfect hair. It was like any other forest you could imagine: densely populated with large trees that stretched into the sky, while the ground was covered in dead leaves and pine needles. Typical scenery for her, well at least when she visited with her family. Yang wasn't a fan of the low hanging branches and cobwebs that preoccupied some of the trails, but a simple twig did the trick.

Now she didn't hate the woods, having grown up in a wood cabin on the island of Patch made her immune to the sounds. Yet it also drove home some awful memories, a dark night accompanied by the sounds of Beowolves. A branch snapped in the corner to her right and she dashed to the side, taking cover behind a tree. The growl that followed made her light up in excitement, cocking Ember Celica with a grin. A few Beowolf's stepped out into the open and sniffed the ground, red eyes widening in confusion at the variety of scents.

She wouldn't give them much to think about.

The first Beowolf cocked its head into the air and growled, baring its large saw-toothed fangs. She threw her right fist into its jaw and knocked out a few teeth, sending the Grimm into a tree and breaking its back. The second lunged from behind and raised its claws, only for them to hit air. Yang twisted her body and brought her boot to its face, slamming the beast onto the ground and following up with a few rounds. The whole fight must have took her 20 or seconds.

She wiped her brow and checked for anymore Beowolf's, knowing they rarely traveled alone. She got her answer, a pair of them jumping gout from the bushes with a noisy howl. She dodged the attack and grabbed both of their skulls while in the air, slamming them into the dirt. She followed up with two shots that penetrated through the white mask-like faces, shards flying in the air with the smell of Dust.

It felt good to be a badass.

Four Beowolf's in the span of a minute wasn't bad. She fished out her scroll and checked the points, but was confused as to why it only read 15. If she killed four Beowolf's it should have tallied to 20 unless... they were each forced to kill a higher class Grimm to proceed. Damn, that meant she had to actually find one in the forest, and with so many people out there the number would be limited.

"Coming to the same realization?" Yang whipped her around with a gasp and shielded her eyes until she remembered the voice from last night.

"Wait, Blake Belladonna right?" She lowered her fingers and saw the black clad girl nod. Her weapon was lying flat on her shoulder with a ribbon on the end falling to the ground, while she wore the same noncommittal expression from last night.

"How did you find me...?"

"Somewhat by chance," Blake said. "I didn't intend to team up with you, but my choices are limited with the amount of time we have. Based on your earlier demonstration I made the right choice." Not much of a compliment but it was far better than ending up with Weiss.

"Do you have 15 points as well?"

Blake nodded again. "With 54 minutes left we should hurry, but I might have an idea where to find a higher class Grimm." Yang perked up at the suggestion.

"I'm all ears, but don't we each have to kill one?"

"Doubtful, the first couple of points were intended to see how students fared against common Grimm, while the higher class ones are probably for each partner to work against. This whole test is designed to weed out the unfavorable candidates, of course we still need to find two more members." Okay that made sense, at least there was time to hunt down an Ursa Major or something. If only Jaune would just appear out of thin air.

"So what's your idea about the higher class Grimm?"

"In the air I spotted a cave system in the forest and decided to land near it. There were several tracks around the entrance and I picked up the scent of an Ursa. There's a good chance an Ursa Major made the cave its den." Jackpot! Weird that she could smell the Ursa but whatever.

"Then lead the way!"

Their journey to the cave wasn't that eventful, which surprised her considering how many students were roaming the forest. It would have been paltry to look at her surroundings except for the stream they crossed over, its wide stretch causing them to hop on some rocks. Her new partner was just as quiet as she was the other night, only glancing back a few times to confirm her presence. Her scroll was clocked at 48 minutes and Blake said the cave wasn't far, but that didn't account for how long it would take to kill the damn thing.

A few boulders obstructed the path they were following, but Blake easily climbed them with the skill of a graceful cat. Yang had to admit, the girl was limber, but the awkward silence between them was killing her. If Blake was going to be her partner for the next four years then she wanted to know something about her, like a hobby or what kind of boys she liked.

"So Blake, since we're pals and all now, how about we get to know each other?" Blake skipped over a pile of mud that collected at the bottom of the stones and looked back with a look of disbelief.

"Do you really think that now's a good time?" Blake remarked while looking at her scroll. Yang mimicked the motion and saw they had 45 minutes.

"Why not, I mean we're going to be partners for the next four years right?" Blake cut down some foliage that hung from the tree above, kicking aside some roots that were liable to make them trip. Her proposition wasn't that absurd!

"True, but that's if we pass." Oh... well she had a point there.

"Wait." Blake whispered, ducking into the bushes. Yang crouched behind her and followed, making out the cave she mentioned earlier.

The structure was dug neatly into the side of a hill, expanding further the deeper someone went. Strangely a large amount of pebbles and boulders were gathered into a line before the entrance, and like Blake stated earlier she could make out large tracks in the mud. The cave was in an odd location, the backend covered in moss while sitting next to another stream. She admired the view, remembering as a child how she used to race broken leaves with Ruby against the flow. Maybe they could do that again someday when she visited.

"Do you see anything?" Blake leaned forward and steadied her gaze on a couple of footprints. They were large, but the irregular pattern was strange for an Ursa.

"Yes... but, these Ursa tracks are cluttered with something else, like marks created by small appendages. Wait... Yang we should go." Blake's face paled at some realization, inching away from the tracks.

"What's the matter?" She whispered.

Blake pointed at the spot she examined. "I wasn't wrong about this being the den for the Ursa Major, but it looks as if a Death Stalker was prowling nearby." Oh, a Death Stalker, those nasty scorpion-like Grimm. She was tough but those beasts required a lot of work.

Yang checked her scroll to see they had 39 minutes. "Do you think the Ursa Major is still hanging about or should we look elsewhere?" It was possible they could find another high class Grimm.

"Let's just go, I have a few ideas of where another might be hiding – the points won't be worth it if we both get killed by it." Sound enough reasoning for her, a Death Stalker took a skilled Huntsman to put down.

Trees rustled on the other side of the clearing, and from the bushes a familiar heiress emerged. She was grumbling to herself and tossing leaves from out of her ponytail while kicking up a few pebbles by the stream. Yang would have face palmed were the situation not so dire - to top it off the person just had to be Weiss Schnee.

"Weiss Schnee." Blake hissed.

"You know her?"

She let out a huff at the question. "I know of her." Somebody wasn't a fan.

The girl's haughty attitude didn't attract many friends judging by Blake's reaction. Yet even the girl a rival for her man didn't deserve to be set upon unknowingly by a Death Stalker. She picked up a rock in the bushes and threw it to catch her attention. Weiss flicked her eyes over and jerked back, directing a large glare and opening her mouth to berate her. Yang waved her hands in hope that she would understand, pointing to the ground where the tracks lie.

Weiss froze, a trickle of sweat pouring down her brow at the observation. If she was any closer Yang would have sworn she heard Weiss gulp. She took careful steps with her heels and walked backwards. A growl escaped from the cave and the ground shook, a large figure emerging from within. Like Blake predicted an Ursa Major stepped out into the sunlight that shone through the trees, its red eyes looking up to focus on Weiss. The white spikes on its back twitched, and the creature reared back on its hind legs with a low growl.

Yang sprinted across the stream and fired a couple of rounds into its chest, knocking the Grimm back a few inches and letting Weiss escape to where Blake hid. The Ursa Major let out a roar of frustration and snapped its gaze onto her, kicking back flat rocks as it prepared to charge. The noise would probably attract more Ursa to the area, they had to move. The others agreed, surrounding it from behind, weapons readied.

"I apologize for rousing it." Weiss said in embarrassment.

"Eh, this makes it more convenient I guess," Yang replied with a chuckle. "I'll distract it and you guy's dash in for the kill!" Yang pounded the ground and sent thousands of rocks into the air, hopping to the left of the Ursa Major and launching a fist into the side of its torso.

She followed up with a direct hit with Ember Celica, the beast grunting in pain. Weiss formed a glyph below the Ursa Major's legs, ice rising from the ground and freezing it in place. Blake took the opening and wrapped the ribbon that flowed from her weapon around its neck and pulled back, exposing its neck long enough for her to sever the Grimm's head in one precise stroke. Its body collapsed to the ground and rippled, disintegrating into a black mist that flew into the air.

That was a rush she was looking for.

She calmed her panting and wiped the sweat from her brow, looking over her two new teammates. Weiss Schnee was now with her for the next four years, but there was no denying her skill, that glyph was precise and strong. Blake's maneuvers again impressed her, especially with how she managed the strength to pull back such a massive Grimm in a few seconds. They just needed one more person, and it had to be Jaune.

"Well I have to say, good job guys!"

"Yes, we adequately worked together." Weiss added in her lavish dictionary-like voice.

A low beeping sound rung from all of their scrolls, and when she pulled it out, the screen was flashing a congratulatory message. Their names hovered below a team roster, each of them accumulating the required 50 points. That meant Weiss collected it as well since she became a part of their team. A little creepy that Beacon knew about this so quickly, maybe their scrolls had sensors?

 _Congratulations for collecting all your points, you now have 32 minutes to reach the destination where the initiation will end for your team._

"So we're practically done."

"Perhaps... something troubles me about the message though." Blake commented, a suspicious glare scanning her scroll. Weiss also looked perturbed, humming in agreement with Blake's cryptic remark.

"How so?"

"The way it's worded," She said. "We collected all our points, which I assume Weiss had 15 as well, but it says we have to reach the destination to end the initiation for _our_ team." Didn't that just mean they were halfway done unlike other initiates in the forest?

"She's right, why isn't the initiation done when we've collected all our points? This suggests initiation isn't done until we've reached the destination with our points. Maybe there is a way to lose them?" Weiss suggested, her eyes darting around the area.

A way to lose points... that would suck, and with time disappearing fast it would be difficult to gather more or search for another higher class Grimm. The headmaster never mentioned a process of losing points, or maybe that was part of the trial, to expect anything in the Emerald forest? Either way it frustrated her there was another to overcome before ending the initiation. And where was the finish line supposed to be, Ozpin never explained that either.

"So where do we go?" Yang said with a confused sigh.

"I would say the massive structure in the middle of the forest. It's in plain side and obvious, so it must be the spot where everyone is supposed to meet." Blake stated. It made sense, and it wasn't like the school could hide it if they tried, but it was strange that Ozpin wouldn't mention it.

"We should look out for other initiates in groups of four or less, hopefully we can find Jaune or Pyrrha to become our last member." Blake nodded in agreement, though she didn't show any sign of knowing the people Weiss mentioned.

Weiss instinctively took the lead and crossed over the stream, attaching her rapier back onto her waist. Blake followed with a shrug, probably not interested in squabbling with the heiress over who should be their leader. That was determined by the school, but she had absolutely no interest in the position, it was too much responsibility. Blake and Weiss both seemed like highly intelligent people, though having the ice queen take over might get on her nerves if she became a dictator.

She released another sigh and followed, hopping over the rocks and brushing aside the broken tree branches that littered the ground. However she was unaware of the numerous eyes that followed her group's every move.

* * *

Crocea Mors blade slid from the flesh it cut smoothly, a trickle of blood dripping at the tip. Jaune swung his sword and wiped it down with a cloth from his pocket, a satisfied grin exuding the placated mood he was in. He considered himself lucky for this part of the initiation, finding three people and racking up points cost them only a fraction of the time it might for other potential teams.

"Are you guys ready to head out?"

"Yeah let's do it, this was a breeze, I expected more obstacle courses and roving bands of hitmen attacking us from the trees!" His new orange-haired teammate, Nora Valkyrie, Boasted, flailing her arms about like an untamed animal.

"I doubt the school had time to construct an obstacle course." The other male member, Lie Ren, Added.

"Is something wrong Pyrrha?" His partner stood at the edge of the clearing looking up at the massive tower they were expected to reach. Her face was twisted into a frown, eyes bobbing across her scroll.

"Jaune," She twisted in embarrassment for spacing out and pointed to her scroll. "I'm fine, but I think we need to be careful around other teams based on this message we got, what do you think?" Pyrrha was right, the message was vague in its wording, but if he had to guess.

"Points can be taken."

"What, you mean stolen?" Pyrrha tilted her head in worry.

"No one is stealing anything from us!" Nora roared into the forest.

Ren walked over with a befuddled look and stared at Pyrrha's scroll. "If it's possible, we should be cautious in our travel and stay low, try not to attract Grimm in case other groups use the opportunity."

Jaune sheathed Crocea Mors and handed Pyrrha her scroll back. The tower wasn't that far, and he could guide them quickly from where they were perched. His mom often took him sightseeing with other professors in the forest, the Grimm threat almost nil because of their skills. It was strange walking these same trails and paths without the accompanying smell of coffee that headmaster Ozpin brewed.

Pyrrha looked at him with concern when his right hand balled into a fist and trembled. He grinned, unable to contain his excitement.

Beacon was so much fun.


	4. You Can't Always Get What You Want

Courting The Professor's Son

By wildstraydog

Chapter Four: You Can't Always Get What You Want

 **So how is everything hanging? The schedule is the same like always, but to dissuade some fears,** _ **The Victim**_ **is still being retooled, that story has not been abandoned. And I have some more surprises in store as well. So for this chapter I came at one point where I was troubled by a certain development, but then I realized, this is a comedy! So I'm going with my initial decision regardless of what people think.**

* * *

Weiss found her patience growing thin the longer she trekked through the bug-infested forest. Her legs kept being nipped at by passing mosquitoes, and the muggy weather was bad for her pale complexion. Worst of all, she was now teammates with Yang Xiao Long, her mortal enemy for Jaune's affections. There was a silver lining however, it would allow her to keep a close on the blonde and make sure she tried nothing mischievous. Blake who she was introduced to briefly was quiet and calculating, and her skill with the blade seemed impeccable.

Whether the last spot on her team was filled with Jaune (oh please) or Pyrrha, they were short on time to reach the massive structure in the middle of the forest. They had 25 minutes until the initiation was over, and if they failed to acquire one more person their chances at surviving the rest of the trials would be slim. There were so many students that it was hard for her to imagine what to expect, but hopefully it wouldn't be some obnoxious girl or perverted boy.

"How close are we?" Yang asked with a long sigh.

She looked up past some of the low hanging branches that obscured the sky, making out partial structures. They couldn't be more than a few minutes away, although she was astonished that they had yet to run into any other participants. And where were all the Grimm, surely they didn't hide away in their abodes just because of how many people were out. She glanced back at Blake Belladonna and noticed the look of hesitance she expressed, the girl taking every chance to avert her eyes. Had she done something to upset her?

"Shouldn't be too much longer now."

"The lack of Grimm worries me... our path has been clear this whole time." Blake noted, darting her eyes to the patches of dirt they stepped on.

"What are you suggesting?" Yang asked.

Blake stopped and took a knee, shoveling a patch of dirt with her hand and massaged it between her fingers. "Someone came down the trail before us, probably cleared the Grimm." Weiss undid her rapier and scanned ahead, not finding anything suspicious.

"We should be cautious then, we only have 22 minutes left." They both nodded and readied their weapons.

They crossed through another clearing and stuck to the trees, still finding no sign of recent Grimm activity. The massive tower was only hundreds of feet away, their victory within grasp. But none of it would matter if they couldn't find another member for the team. She had no way of knowing what could happen if they arrived too early; knowing the headmaster probably immediate completion with only three members.

She was literally forced into a conundrum.

* * *

An explosion rang through the trees and caused Weiss to lose her footing on the branch she was perched on. She fell into a pile of leaves that softened her fall and grumbled, brushing the pine needles out of her hair. Blake helped her up and rushed past her into the clearing with Yang to see what caused the commotion. She tried to warn them first, but her complaints were masked by another whistling explosion. Did they not realize it could be a trap set by another team?

She rushed past the hanging vines that acted like a cobweb, entangling whatever dared to cross its path and she ripped it apart. When she arrived in the next clearing she caught Blake with a grimace, her amber eyes focused on the lowered shoulders of Yang who pounded the dirt in frustration. Weiss approached with a look of confusion and glanced past to see a tall figure smashing a mace onto the skull of a Boarbatusk. She recognized the golden symbols on the broad set of armor.

Cardin Winchester...

"Girls see something you don't like? I guess this means you're the rest of my team." Cardin voiced with a sardonic response. She was aware of the Winchester family, and its reputation for pompous attitudes and racist viewpoints.

Cardin hefted the mace onto his shoulder and directed a smirk in their direction, walking forward with a confident stride. Her face twisted in disgust at the display, the haughty attitude he oozed off making her sick. Then again, she wasn't being that cooperative either with Yang and Blake... but how could she be friendly with her arch nemesis? Granted, it was better than dealing with a chauvinistic asshole; she met Cardin once at a gala years ago.

His attempts at flirting with her were boorish, and when she rejected his advances the slob didn't take it well. She remembered his father not being any better, leisurely telling Faunus jokes to a group of high society bootlickers. Yet their family was well established in Vale and served to help the business district grow throughout the years. It should have been no surprise that Cardin would choose to attend Beacon considering it was a family tradition.

"Yang we need to go." Blake said, checking her scroll. She did the same and saw that 19 minutes remained. With Cardin as their fourth, they just needed to reach the tower.

"It's not fair..." Yang mumbled.

Weiss rolled her eyes and examined the trail behind them. They could fret about Cardin's inclusion later, time was passing quick and the objective was literally staring them in the face. She hoisted the blonde up and dragged her by the arm, her protests fading into a whimper. Cardin shrugged and marched behind with a grunt, hocking a ball of spit into the ground. She couldn't believe that this would be her team for the next four years at Beacon, it was unfathomable.

The five of them were close, the dense forest opening up to an open horizon and blue sky that was littered with oddly shaped clouds. A massive tower stood above the surrounding forest, the aged marble that supported the foundation holding together a historic temple of sorts. Weiss admired the artistry that made up its design, the jagged corners appearing little more as mistakes that the years forgot. At the main entrance to the structure were several initiates in groups waiting impatiently for the trial to conclude.

She rushed with the others across the rocky pathway that elevated before the columns that made up the grand avenue toward the entrance. Weiss skidded to a halt before an explosive smoke bomb erupted in the front of their group, the dirt rising and encircling the area. The Dust was familiar to her, a trap used by Huntsman to confuse their prey, but here it served to isolate them from the tower.

"What's going on?!" Yang swiped at the smoke.

"Huddle together," Blake yelled. "We're being ambushed!" Weiss huffed but conceded, scooting up next to Blake with Yang right beside her.

"I'll stay here if that's ok." Cardin answered with a smug grin.

And this was already what she was afraid of – that buffoon would never take orders from them, let alone band together to help the team. No one snuck up behind them in the thick smoke, and when it dissipated she caught sight of the four individuals responsible for the unnecessary distraction. A group of four boys with differing extravagant hairstyles stood in the way of the trail to the tower. She cared not for their appearances and concentrated more on the weapons - one of them was a staff with blades at the end of the pommel.

"Glad we followed you girls," One of the boys said.

Another boy on the left chuckled. "Yeah now we don't have to worry about gathering points." So Blake's suspicions about the points system were correct, they planned to steal their points before the initiation ended.

The strategy wasn't flawed, it allowed them time to organize a team and wait for other students to do all the hard work. Yet she despised the predatory gazes the boys exhibited, their cocky attitudes not what Beacon deserved in her opinion. She wasn't going to let them ruin all of her struggles during this test, not when she got so close to finishing the first trial. She would take Cardin over these brats any day.

"Oh, you think I'll just hand over my points?" Cardin shot back, letting his mace hit the ground with a thud, a few specks of dirt flying into the boys faces.

"Have to agree with the muscle-bound idiot this time."

"What did you say b-" Yang pushed him aside and cocked both gauntlets. Weiss noticed her irises flash a dark red tint, her golden locks lighting up bright like the sun. Was this her semblance, or some form of it?

"Are you trying to scare us blondie?" One of the boys asked with a chuckle. He lifted the staff and pointed the end with a few circular rings interlocked at her, the metal clanging together to make an ominous sound.

"I won't have to _try."_ Yang replied.

No one moved as the clock on their scrolls ticked away. Weiss dug her platinum heels into the grass and lifted Myrtenaster above her shoulders. She was focused on the boy on the far right who backed up from his group. He was holding what looked to be Jambiya daggers that held a Dust canister inside the blade. By the color it looked like some paralysis-type Dust, nothing lethal but you wouldn't be able to move for minutes or even hours depending on the dosage.

Carin was impatient and rushed ahead, thrusting the mace forward to scatter the boys. The weapon met air and left him wide open, leaving Blake to swoop in and block an attack from a crooked sword. She grit her teeth and pushed the boy with long messy red hair back, detaching Gambol Shroud from its sheath. She kicked up a patch of dirt and flung it into his face. He seethed at the unfair tactic and mindlessly swung his sword, only hitting air as Blake ran around and decked him in the back of neck to knock him out.

In the confusion Weiss changed the Dust cartridge in the chamber of her rapier. She formed a glyph and shot a couple of rounds into the ground around the boys. A cloud of smoke like the one they used earlier spread around the area, but she planned to use it to her advantage. She created another glyph to increase her speed and closed the distance between her and the boy with the dagger, upper cutting him with Myrtenaster. He flew onto his back and fell unconscious, leaving her to adjust her skirt.

"You guys done already too?" Yang asked. The smoke cleared away and revealed the blonde sitting on two more boys that groaned in pain.

"How much time do we have?!"

"13 minutes, we're in the clear." Blake replied. She let out a hesitant breath and glanced at the disgruntled Cardin Winchester.

"Let's just get going." Cardin moaned.

She held her tongue and followed the others to the tower. The closer they approach, the more students came into view, well, at least a few hundred. The tower spiraled into the sky and was supported by a few pillars surrounding its base. Each pillar was coated in lavish purple paint that faded after years of abandonment. The main archway was partially crumbled and marble pieces were scattered onto the cobblestone path. There was a staircase where the entrance ended, leading up to a large circular platform.

Hundreds of students waited at the top, chatting away with their groups while they waited for the initiation to end. At the end of the platform was a metal bridge that was covered in rust, the entrance barred by iron gates. She would have loved to explore its corridors, the tower itself filled with history of Huntsman and Huntresses that traversed the Emerald forest in days of old. But she was preoccupied with finding Jaune, and whoever was lucky enough to be on his team.

She was only now able to process the fact that Cardin Winchester was her partner, a brute with no self-respect that ignored their attempts at teamwork. Weiss actually felt Yang's pain at the realization back in the forest, how the world actively worked against the both of them.

Maybe it was karma?

* * *

Yang collapsed on her knees and kissed the platform, her anxiety fading in knowing that she completed the first trial of initiation successfully, though with mixed results. Blake was alright even if the two of them barely spoke any words in the forest. But Cardin... based on Weiss' reaction there wasn't much to expect, but she could tell what kind of guy he was by his foul mouth. He was nothing like Jaune, a ruffian who didn't like taking orders from a girl.

He sat away from them and laid his weapon onto the platform, releasing a loud grunt. How was she going to deal with this for the next four years, and what about sleeping in the same room? Lord, it sounded horrendous already. She could at least find Jaune and clear her head of everything, plus she was curious about who was on his team.

"How much longer do we have sit here Ren, my feet are aching!" a loud girl sounded off in the back corner, but it wasn't her complaints that caught her attention. Jaune stood next to a boy in a green tunic, a smile on his face, exuding that same bright aura that attracted her yesterday.

She ignored the protests from Blake and marched across the platform, her eyes wide in excitement. There was still time to confront him about a date, something casual that allowed them to get to know each other. Yang heard the clicking of heels behind her, an easy indicator that Weiss saw him too and was following close behind. She would never get a word in as long as the heiress was around... a distraction was what she needed, someone to bother the girl.

Yang noticed the familiar red ponytail that reflected off the rays of the sun, while her golden armlets clanged together with every movement. Pyrrha Nikos was sitting by Jaune, listening closely to every word he spoke, emerald eyes lit up with curiosity. She was probably overreacting; though she was jealous that she was Jaune's partner. Next to them was an odd couple, the boy she observed earlier and an orange haired girl that spoke so fast that it sounded like gibberish.

"Jaune!" She called out.

He turned at the sound of her voice and smiled, that heart melting expression making her legs weak. She walked forward with an awkward look and chuckled, noticing the odd and confused stares from the boy and girl. Pyrrha shot her a quick wave and acknowledged Weiss who stepped up to make herself known. This girl was going to follow her everywhere... there had to be a way of get Jaune alone, maybe if she just asked to talk with him in private? But it would be weird if there was no reason, she would have to make something up.

"Uh, Yang, are you alright?" She blushed, and shook her head.

"Nah I'm alright, just spaced out for a second there, so how long it take you guys to complete the trial?" Weiss eyed her with a suspicious glare.

"Not long actually, we all met up with each other fairly quick, and we didn't have troubling hunting down a Nevermore – well I say that like it's easy." Jaune scratched his cheek and laughed.

"Oh, Yang, Weiss, this is Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren." Pyrrha introduced.

The girl she now knew as Nora hopped up from her spot and saluted them. She bounced over to where she stood and bobbed her head up and down with a grin. Nora circled her, focusing on every detail like a scientist in an experiment. Yang heard Ren let out a sigh and apologized in advance.

"Damn you have a nice figure, and your hair is gorgeous, I'm jealous, how long does it take to get it ready, maybe I should grow out my hair for Ren." Yang blinked in response and smiled, not sure how to answer.

"She's excited today." Ren said.

"And who is this?" Pyrrha asked, looking behind her. Blake stood with her arms folded, looking over the rest of them with a cautious gaze.

"Blake, Blake Belladonna, nice to meet you all."

"Did you... guys not get a fourth member?" Jaune hesitantly asked. Yang found her shoulders droop in response to the question. She almost didn't want to even introduce the scoundrel, but everyone would know soon enough anyway.

"He's over there sulking, his name's"

"Cardin Winchester, yeah I know him." Jaune answered for her.

Wait, he knew Cardin? She looked for any sign of resentment in Jaune's face, but only saw a genuine smile. "Don't give me that look." He said with a low chuckle.

"Then you know he's not the most," Weiss paused to think of an appropriate description. "Cooperative of people, he certainly wasn't happy to be with us." Yang nodded in agreement. When they fought together he acted like they almost didn't even exist, rushing forward without a plan.

"Well, I can't say he's the easiest person to get along with, but I can tell you he's probably upset that he didn't get on the same team as his friends." She looked back at Cardin, who was now talking with a group of three boys, one of them sporting a Mohawk. Maybe she misjudged him – she would be angry too if her friends couldn't be with her.

"That's no excuse for his attitude." Weiss remarked.

"I never really hung out with him, but he attended a lot of the events my mom and dad took me to in Vale. Now his parents are another story..."

"Sounds like he had a rough childhood." Pyrrha commented. Jaune nodded and looked over to Weiss who let out a sigh. It seemed they all knew about his parents, who based on Jaune's look weren't superstars.

"I guess, try your best with him."

She wanted to resist that smile. "Sure thing, Yang Xiao Long doesn't give up that easy!" She shot him a wink and heard a grunt of annoyance escape from Weiss.

A synchronous beep sounded from all of their scrolls, and Yang took it out to see another message from Professor Goodwitch. In their conversation, she almost forgot that initiation was still going on.

 _Congratulations to all of the students that successfully past the first trial. 203 students passed, leaving only one team with an odd number of three members. Initiation is done for the day and student may return to the ballroom to rest before lunch and dinner are ready._

 _Part two of the exam will begin tomorrow and last through Thursday. Another meeting shall take place in the main hall where details on the initiation are planned to be given. Remember that being late is an automatic disqualification._

203... there had to be about 500 or so students trying out for Beacon. She counted herself lucky and accepted with open arms the chance to relax.

"So you guys want do anything before we eat lunch?" She wondered if it was possible to visit Vale during the initiation, maybe get a little shopping done. Yes, a shopping date with Jaune would be glorious!

"We should head back and gather our things before it gets crowded." Weiss suggested. She wasn't surprised the ice queen made such a boring request.

"How about we meet you all at lunch with Cardin? It will be a good chance for us all to learn about each other." Oh Jaune, you're always so sweet.

"That sounds like a grand idea." Pyrrha added.

She looked back at Cardin who made his way over from his friends, a look of dissatisfaction still etched on his mug. Jaune made it sound easy, but getting Cardin to warm up was going to be a disaster in the making. How was she going to be friends with a guy who looked like he wanted to murder all of them? But if she wanted to impress Jaune, this would be her chance to rise above Weiss.

Yang could do this, she just needed to flash that blonde charm and win him over with friendship and comradery! And what boy could resist her feminine looks?

"Hey Cardin, want go to lunch with us?" She asked with all the pep in her voice.

"Sure, but don't act like we're friends."

God she was going to hate this...


	5. Blonde Repellent

Courting the Professor's Son

By wildstraydog

Chapter Five: Blonde Repellent

 **Not much really to say about this chapter except we finally get to see Goodwitch in action. I mean how do you think she'll react knowing that Yang is eyeing her only son as a possible romantic partner? Not very well. I have a surprise in the works however, but I won't elaborate on that, and I'm also looking over an upcoming story by another writer that I think it is very interesting.**

 **I'll let everyone know once it releases.** _ **The Victim**_ **is also close to being released again, and there will several changes to its overall story and pace.**

* * *

The first part of the initiation was finally complete, allowing Glynda a much needed break for the day. She held her breath once or twice when Jaune came head-to-head with a few Grimm, and when the Nevermore swooped down with its talons–well let's just say she might have closed her eyes. She couldn't help worrying for the boy even if she had the utmost confidence in his abilities. She was at least relieved to see that he matched up with a well-rounded team.

Pyrrha Nikos would make a fine partner for Jaune, their skills complimenting each other in the battlefield. Yet Ozpin was more interested in Weiss Schnee's team, which earned the official marker of team WCBY (Wild Blue Yonder), though the addition of the letter C made that choice odd. She would have paid the students no attention and focused on preparing the curriculum for when classes started, but Yang Xiao Long appeared on her radar after an unusual encounter.

The other teachers would have accused her of overreacting and being a paranoid mother, yet that didn't allow her to not read into her intuition. When the teams had been officially announced in the main hall, she planned to step down and visit with Jaune before he went to lunch with his newfound acquaintances. So what roused her suspicion? The look of obsession on the blonde's face and her heated cheeks for starters. And the way she initiated physical contact, it was all the obvious signs. She wasn't going to let some lusty teenager ruin Jaune's future.

She put down a set of folders on Ozpin's desk and turned to look at the expansive view that his office afforded her. She marveled at the lush green colors from the Emerald forest and the raging waters that splashed against the cliffs. In contrast her office space was cramped, the walls cluttered with textbooks and articles she referenced for classes. There was still a little time for lunch, and if she was quick enough she could ask for Jaune's company.

Glynda straightened her blouse and walked toward the elevator door, paying the incessant ticking of the clocks in the room no mind. She pushed the round golden button and watched it light up, only for the doors to separate and reveal Ozpin and... Qrow Branwen of all people. She backed up in mild surprise and wrinkled her nose, the pungent smell of liquor mixed with dirt and sweat emanating off Qrow. He noticed the reaction and shot her a slow wink.

"Were you about to leave Glynda?" Ozpin asked.

She looked over at Qrow who shot her a sarcastic wave. "Yes, I was just going to lunch, thought maybe Jaune could join me." Ozpin hummed in response.

"Don't worry about missing anything crucial, I was just talking with Qrow about a new opportunity in Beacon." She nodded and walked into the elevator.

The doors were about to close when his comment alerted her. She stuck her heel between the doors and hopped out with a confused expression. "Opportunity...sir?"

"Told you she would freak out," Qrow remarked with a chuckle.

Ozpin got comfortable in his chair and set the coffee brewer to create another mix. "Yes, as you know we have an available position right now at the academy, and I believe with Qrow free it would be an excellent chance to use his skills." That's what she was afraid of.

"I'm sure Qrow is far too busy with his... extracurricular activities to assist us here." Translation: hitting the bars downtown without a thought of the consequences or image it represents.

"Actually G, I'm taking a break from missions for a while, thought I could take a break and teach the kids here—plus my niece goes here now." Yang Xiao Long, the very girl she was wary of getting close to Jaune.

"She hasn't completed initiation yet, the second trial begins tomorrow." Qrow guffawed.

"Yeah, sure, I doubt they'll have trouble getting through." Despite her misgivings about the girl, her scores didn't lie, and her combat prowess was exceptional.

"In any case, you should go find Mr. Arc, I'm sure he would like to catch up with you. Did your meeting go well yesterday?" She paused to think of a proper answer; seeing Jaune after so long, it brought to surface a complicated mix of feelings. Mostly joyous at chance to see her son again.

Qrow bashed his fist into his right palm. "That's right, your son is going to Beacon now—I never got to meet him! Mind if I join you Glynda?" She grit her teeth at the idea and walked away, hearing Qrow chuckle again.

"Perhaps, next time." She pushed the button to close the elevator doors and let out a sigh. Glynda wanted to calm herself before meeting Jaune with his friends—no point in looking like a nervous wreck.

She considered herself a strict professor, following the rules to ensure the students had a proper role model. Everyone's perception however would never be the same, and she found that some of the children at the school huddled to the walls in fear when she walked by. Was she that intimidating? By the reaction one of the male students had when he almost ran into her, the answer was yes. Did Jaune feel that way, was he afraid to fail in front of her?

The aroma of freshly made chicken and boiled vegetables assaulted her nose, and her ears could already pick up the rising chatter. When she opened the cafeteria doors, a wall of noise slapped her in the face, the gossip of teenagers becoming an orchestrated piece. The analogy was strained, but it explained the loud noise—how they conversed with each other clearly was a mystery to her.

There was a back entrance for professors at Beacon so they wouldn't have to wait in congested lines, although, she really craved only for a simple garden salad. As she strolled in between the tables, she took her time to look for Jaune, focusing on a messy hair style that distinguished him from other blonde students. She found him, surrounded by the rest of his teammates and team WCBY, chatting away.

It would be rude to pull him away, but she knew that Jaune wouldn't mind if it meant he could talk to her. He was just kind like that. She gathered her meal in thought, remembering her early days with Alexander and Jaune when she was still married to the buffoon. It was only a few years, but they were some of the best in her life... so why did he cheat on her? Perhaps cheat wasn't the best description, Alexander was never a callous individual who ran out of the house at night to rendezvous with other women on the street.

His relationship with Celeste was a long time coming, the two having known each other for years. In fact, he was upfront about the affair, explaining how it was all his fault for being so weak. He loved both of them, it wasn't a lie but... what she resented, was being considered a backup, a poor decision that he never thought through. Why didn't he just confess to Celeste all those years ago and spare her the pain? And yet she was good friends with the woman, and was happy to teach her daughters whenever they applied to Beacon.

"Professor Goodwitch are you alright?" Her thoughts were broken by the boisterous voice of Professor Port, his white mustache wiggling against his lips.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to hold up the line."

"Got a lot on your mind dear? I see you keep looking at the young Mr. Arc, he seems like a fine lad!" It was that obvious huh? She looked back and admired his boyish features, his resemblance to his father uncanny.

"Yes... just thinking of old times." Port lost his bravado and patted her shoulder.

"Don't think so hard about it Glynda, your son is here, that's all that matters. Make sure you don't squander this moment and earn his love." That was, one of wisest things she heard from him in years.

"Besides, you can't stay single forever, Jaune needs another father, am I right!?" He broke out in jovial laughter and moved down the line.

It was too good to be true.

Port was right about one thing however, this was her chance to reconnect with her son. Those rare visits from her in his childhood weren't good enough, and she regretted missing crucial moments in his life. Those years she was married to Alexander would always be ingrained in her mind, and the memory of Jaune as a toddler still brought a genuine smile to her face. It was time to make even better ones.

She took a firm grasp of her tray and straightened her shoulders, walking past the rest of the faculty. Lunch had just began, so there was plenty of time to ask for his company and free him from the clutches of Yang Xiao Long.

"Your muscles are amazing by the way." Yang commented. Glynda crushed the tray from underneath, the plastic bending inward and spilling a few leaves from her salad.

This girl...

* * *

By the time Yang reached the mess hall, she was tumbling over in hunger. All the nerves she wracked gave her an appetite, and the aroma from the kitchen made the inside of her mouth salivate. That wasn't the only thing that caused her to swoon though, as Jaune was beside her, chatting away with Pyrrha Nikos and Lie Ren about sleeping arrangements. Nora included her usual quips and Weiss... she glowered at her, a dark aura similar to a stormy cloud hovered above with her every step. And then Cardin stayed behind with a smug look.

He still had yet to contribute anything to the conversation, brooding like an upset child. She remembered what Jaune said but it was hard to have any sympathy when he was trying his damn best to avoid them like the plague. There was a sizable table in the back corner they decided upon, and Ruby and Pyrrha volunteered to grab enough food for the group. She wanted to get Jaune away from everyone so she could persuade him to take her on a date, but the heiress wouldn't have it.

"So Jaune," Weiss began in her haughty attitude. "What do you think the next part of initiation is going to be?" He tilted his head to the side and looked up in thought, massaging his chin. It was adorable how much of a dork he could be.

"I don't know, they change it every year, maybe they'll send us into the Forever Fall this time." He joked.

"Well, I might have some idea as to what to expect." Pyrrha said from across the table, earning the attention of everyone else. Hell, she even caught that oaf Cardin leaning in to hear what she had to say.

"We're listening P-money."

"In the Emerald forest whenever everyone collected their points, we had to reach the destination," She explained. "But as everyone quickly found out, other teams could steal those points if they defeated a group—perhaps the second trial involves fighting other teams?" That made a lot of sense.

If Beacon wanted to shave the numbers down further, a Battle Royale would be the most obvious choice. Those teams that were left standing were able to advance to the final part of the initiation. Well, there was nothing to worry about then, her team was kickass, and even Cardin knew how to fight. Maybe this initiation wouldn't be so hard after all.

"Or they could make us take exams," Weiss mentioned.

"I hope not, no one came here to write a boring exam, not that I'm not smart, I once taught a school teacher how to wrangle a boar!" Nora announced to the confusion of the table. Yang wanted to hear that story later though.

"Who cares," Cardin said. "All of us shouldn't be worrying about what happens tomorrow, only thing that matters is winning." Well yeah..., but you don't have to be an asshole about it.

Cardin got up from the table and grabbed his tray, flinging it on top one of the trashcans. He marched over to a table where his friends from earlier were seated, their faces lighting up when rounded the corner. Maybe Jaune could talk to him later, he was the only one that really cared about Cardin's problems. Not like he would listen to her anyway. She looked down at her meal and decided to finally eat, savoring each bite.

Lunch passed as it should have, with Nora making a few more jokes and rambling about some fantastical dream involving thousands of Beowolves that Ren was quick to correct it. But she focused on Jaune the entire time, studying his mannerisms and cheekbones whenever he smiled. Weiss noticed as well, but ignored her and engaged him in small talk. She knew exactly what the ice queen was doing—trying to gain his interest by looking for similar likes and dislikes.

But she was going to have to do more than that to beat her.

"Hey, Jaune," Yang cooed.

Weiss directed a glare in her direction, eyes dilated with rage. "What's up Yang?" He answered back, unaware of the tension building at the table.

"So what are your plans after completing the initiation, I'm sure the school will give us a break before the semester begins." She fluttered her eyelashes for good measure and leaned forward to reveal a little cleavage.

It's not like she was looking to have sex or anything, but you have to use physical attraction to get the boy's interest. Plus, she beat Weiss in that department, at least in her opinion anyway.

"Uh, well, I didn't really think about it." Weiss grew flustered at the performance, brushing her elbow against Jaune at the table.

"He's probably thinking of more important things at the moment." She ignored Weiss and looked into his eyes, flashing another sultry grin his way. He blushed at the gesture and pulled at his collar.

"This is getting steamy," Nora whispered in Ren's ear.

"I'll probably work out in the training arena, I don't want to get rusty—that and I might go shopping in Vale for some school supplies." Workouts sounded fun, and they had that in common; getting sweaty and feeling the burn.

"Your muscles are amazing by the way." Yang complimented.

She would have said more but the sound of plastic being crushed got her attention. Yang froze, and looked into the eyes of a true beast. Professor Goodwitch, stood over the table with an expression that masked her unbridled rage... and that gave her the signal to quit. She leaned back in her seat and crawled into whatever cave was available.

"Jaune... are you by any chance free?" The professor asked.

* * *

Jaune was somewhat glad to have escaped the potential argument that was brewing between Yang and Weiss. Why did those girls seem so cross with each other? Well he wasn't that experienced with women so maybe it was something beyond his understanding. He actually found their banter funny, but it was true he didn't know what his plans were after initiation. He was confident he would pass, but it would be foolish to get cocky and not try his hardest through the next set of trials.

When his mother popped up in the mess hall and requested his company, he took that chance without a thought. That was one of the main reasons he decided to attend Beacon over the other academies that recruited him. His mother was not a distant woman, always writing him letters and taking opportunities during the holidays to visit, but those moments were brief. He loved his family back home and his half-sisters, but his biological mother was someone he admired from afar.

She took him outside the mess hall and to a bench near the Beacon gardens. There were other students that made it a picnic in the surrounding area, but it wasn't too noisy, allowing them a chance to speak without the others butting in. Jaune already ate, but he was still content to sit with his mother and discuss his future at Beacon.

"How are you doing today?" It was the only thing he could think of asking.

She picked up her fork and smashed it into a few leaves of her salad. "I'm doing well, I saw your performance today—you did excellent." He smiled in embarrassment at the praise, but it was appreciated nonetheless.

"Well, my team helped out too, Pyrrha seems like a really great person." She nodded in agreement and wiped her mouth with a napkin.

"Yes, she is very skilled and intelligent, an excellent partner to have. Your other friends seem... interesting. I hope they aren't a bad influence." Jaune chuckled at the statement but understood her worry.

"Don't worry mom, I'll be fine," he assured. "I'm just worried about Cardin Winchester on Yang's team." Ah, Cardin, she was aware of his family history.

"I'm sure they'll be able to figure things out, but tell me about this, Yang Xiao Long girl." Jaune perked up and looked at his mother in confusion.

"Um, she's a nice girl I guess, what do you want to know?"

"Is she usually so, brazen with her wording?" Was she talking about the muscle comment? It was a little strange he would admit, but she was the joking type.

"I think she's the clown of the group, she kept saying puns according to Weiss. It was nice to her again, it must be helping her to be away from Atlas." Weiss Schnee did seem in higher spirits.

"Ah, here's the family!" Jaune looked past his mother to see an odd man stumble forward over to the table, the smell of alcohol coming off him like a brewery.

The lopsided smile on his face was hard for him to grasp. He never remembered meeting a man with a stubble and a tattered black cape. It was odd that a drunk was wandering the academy without supervision, but there was an aura of experience about him, something his friends lacked. Jaune's eyes trailed down to his waist, and he noticed the collapsed weapon hanging on the backside. Whoever he was, the man was professional Huntsman—the act could be an act.

"I'm not interrupting am I?" Qrow said with a chuckle. He took a seat next to Jaune and took out a tiny silver flask that was dented.

"Actually," Glynda drawled. "I was enjoying lunch with my son." His mom didn't look happy, a grimace replacing her calm expression from earlier.

"Yeah I saw that, sorry, but I just had to meet the famous son of Glynda Goodwitch. I'm Qrow Branwen by the way, nice to meet you kid." He took Qrow's hand and finally remembered how he recognized the name.

"You know my dad... and my mom I guess." Qrow took a swig from his flask and released a breath of relief.

"Dad's a good man, well he tries to be," Qrow's eyes glanced over to his mother—he knew what he was talking about. "So how long did Glynda whoop your butt until you were ready for Beacon? I saw the videos, you're pretty good kid." Jaune rubbed the back of his neck.

"Err, about one year, or was it six months? My mom's a great teacher, I wouldn't have lasted in the Emerald forest if it wasn't for her." He caught the blush on his mother's cheeks and smiled, though Qrow began to tease her.

"How sweet, oh one second," Qrow stood from the table and directed his gaze over to a set of bushes. "Hey, Yang, you can stop hiding!" Wait, Yang?

Just as Qrow said, a few individuals emerged from the bush. Yang climbed out and removed some leaves off her shoulder with a guilty look. Behind her was Weiss, rubbing her arm in shame at being caught red-handed. And then somehow Nora also crawled out, giggling about something.

"And how long have you girls been hiding?" Glynda questioned.

"Uh... I'll let Weiss answer that!" Yang pointed to the heiress who squeaked at being passed the blame. Qrow hopped from the table and wrapped his arm around Yang's shoulders, ruffling her blonde hair, which caused her to scream in protest.

"Jaune I have a proposal for you." Qrow said.

"Sure, what is it Mr. Branwen?"

He let go of Yang and strolled over, cracking his neck before looking him straight in the eyes, the hazed over irises shaking uncontrollably in excitement. "I want you to be my apprentice." The sound of a fork dropping onto the cobblestones echoed in the garden.

"What?!" All of the girls screamed in unison.

This was going to be an exciting year.

* * *

 **For anyone worried by the way, Ruby is about to make an appearance, though I'm still keeping it a secret as to how and why.**


	6. Tug of War

Courting the Professor's Son

By wildstraydog

Chapter Six: Tug of War

 **Glad a lot of you liked Qrow's appearance, he'll throw a wrench into several people's plans. And he still doesn't know that Yang likes Jaune... yet. As I said before, this story is a comedy, but there is some drama here and there, but I won't lose track of why I'm writing this. And just to reiterate, Ruby will be appearing so don't worry hah.**

* * *

She was freaking out, trying to understand why her uncle of all people would propose something so ludicrous to Jaune. He didn't answer right away, mumbling an awkward response, but Qrow just patted him on the shoulder with a rough chuckle. Weiss looked to her for answers, her icy stare freezing the blonde into place. And why was he here? She was positive he was on some "big" mission or something.

"You don't have to answer right away, plus those girls are just going to influence your decision here anyway. By the way, Yang's my niece so treat her right." Yang blushed at the statement, but was more embarrassed by his sudden appearance and unkempt presentation.

This was no way to impress a boy with your family.

"Really, I couldn't tell to be honest, but her personality is similar to yours I guess." Yang felt her heart shatter at the statement, while Weiss cackled at the observation.

"I would appreciate it if you two didn't talk about me why I'm standing over here!" She fumed, getting only a brief shrug from Qrow.

"Well, I'll leave you two alone and go bond with my niece—but consider this Jaune, it's a great opportunity to see how a Huntsman works—that and you'll be like my teacher assistant or something..." Qrow let out one more chuckle and took another swig from his flask.

Qrow left the two of them and walked up to her, a giant smirk planted on his face. She would find a way to have her revenge on him, it wouldn't be soon, but someday he would feel the weight of her wrath. Yang had no desire to leave, but it would have been awkward with the circumstances, that and Professor Goodwitch was sending both her and Weiss one nasty glare. With a defeated sigh she and Weiss followed Qrow away from the gardens and back into the school.

It was nice to see him again, at least when he wasn't acting a complete fool. He still carried that swagger, oblivious to what anyone thought of him; or he just didn't care. The smell of alcohol coming from his breath and clothes was powerful, as if he hadn't bathed in a week. Yet she was used to that, the old man always getting drunk for some reason or another. She once asked her dad why he drank so much, but Tai just clammed up and told her it was his decision to explain.

She always suspected it had to do with Raven and Summer.

They ended up near the dormitories, which reminded her that she needed to check out their room. Weiss disappeared a few minutes back, probably doing the same and scouting out the room before Cardin claimed a stake in one of the better spots. Qrow still had a smirk, and almost tumbled onto the carpet, hiccupping in-between his chuckling. She rolled her eyes and nudged him in the shoulder to get his attention. Usually he had some clever quip to fire back at her.

"So, where are we going?"

"I dunno, just wandering I guess, wanted to find some place to talk with you." She let out a groan and came to a stop in the hallway.

"We can talk here if you're sober enough."

Qrow chortled. "When have I talked to you and been sober at the same time? Probably a couple of months at the least, but enough chit-chat, I got something to tell you." She leaned against the wall behind her and folded her arms.

"Okay, so what's up?"

He lost the goofy expression he was wearing and copied Yang: leaning against the wall and keeping his flask out in case he needed a quick drink. "It's nothing too major, but, Ruby got into some trouble at school." Yang tossed aside her arms and ran up to Qrow, pulling onto his sleeves with a tight grip. Her lilac eyes widened and blinked rapidly, looking to Qrow for immediate answers.

"What kind of trouble, is she okay?!" He released a drunken sigh and pushed her off.

"Settle down, its nothing too serious," Qrow assured. "Ruby got in a tussle with some boy, which normally I wouldn't give a damn about, but it escalated." She got into a fight? That was odd for her.

"What happened?"

He shrugged. "I don't know the details yet, I just wanted to tell you early so you don't freak out during initiation. I'm going to visit her this afternoon if you want to come." Oh she was definitely going, that wasn't like her at all to start a fight, and it gave her a chance to talk with Ruby.

"Yeah, you bet, I hope she's okay."

"Probably won't be too serious, just some disciplinary action," Qrow suggested, taking another swig. "By the way, why were you spying on Glynda and her son with Weiss Schnee?" Yang shrunk back, her prayers of her uncle possibly forgetting not being answered.

She just had to make something up.

"Oh, nothing, just wanted to see what Jaune's mom was like." Qrow looked down at her with a suspicious grin and massaged his stubble.

"Really, that's interesting," He said. "By the flustered cheeks I could have sworn you were checking out Glynda's son." Yang blushed at the correct assumption and turned around, shaking her head in denial.

"Nah you're just paranoid."

"I don't know Jaune Arc that well, but he seems like an okay kid. But I wouldn't trust him more than any other boy—I'll be watching." Yang threw her arms up in the air, Qrow hovering over her was the last thing she needed.

"Maybe I just think he's cool, huh?" She fired back.

Honestly, it was none of his business who she liked. Qrow wasn't able to dictate her choice in men, not that she didn't go out with a few unsavory boys at Signal. She didn't do anything big with them, just made out a few times, the typical teenager stuff. Sadly she knew that look on his dusty mug. Qrow would be taking advantage of Jaune's position if he accepted. Hell, he probably would put him through some trial.

"Funny part is, he probably doesn't even know that you and the Schnee girl like him. I know those oblivious types, but that's also to his advantage." Qrow commented, patting his weapon as a reminder.

"So did you come here just to bother me?" He laughed.

"Nah, you can run back to your friends, just remember to meet outside before four." Yang gave a brief nod and walked down the hall, grabbing her scroll and checking the new message from school. It was their dorm room number.

With Qrow hanging around, the week just became that much longer. She was more distraught over Ruby's actions however, and it would be hard to concentrate on Jaune and clearing the initiation with that looming over her. Weiss was no closer to him than she was, and there was nothing to worry about... it's not like Cardin was gonna hit on him.

* * *

Weiss released a tired sigh and slumped her shoulders in mild defeat. The day was taxing and she couldn't handle the anxiety that being caught led to. How embarrassing was it that Professor Goodwitch and Yang's drunken uncle caught her in the bushes spying on Jaune? Even the thought brought a massive blush on her otherwise pale cheeks. It was ridiculous already that she was fretting over romantic problems that didn't exist yet and not on the initiation tomorrow.

And what was that, Qrow Branwen, thinking asking Jaune to be his teaching assistant? Someone uncouth and brazen like that didn't deserve to be given Jaune's aid. He smelled of a brewery and his manners were atrocious. It made sense that Yang was related to the man. Weiss was definitely unprepared for Qrow's push, and that gave Yang an unintentional advantage; Yang's relation would give her more access to the boy.

If she was going to compete with her, Weiss would just have to strengthen other areas that she lacked in. In a lifestyle of riches and luxury, Weiss never learned how to properly cook a home meal. Maybe it was sexist to presume that all women were required to master the skills for men, but that didn't mean she didn't not want to cook for him. She could imagine Jaune's blinding smile after he was given a taste of a lavish dinner she prepared for him hours in advance.

So how was she supposed to learn the craft?

The library was sure to contain material and tips on the culinary arts. Beacon was known to have a kitchen also, and it wouldn't take much to convince the staff to let her practice. There she went again, focusing on the wrong subject. There was no telling what the initiation tomorrow would consist of, especially with the complicated point system. Her qualms with Yang would have to wait until after they were officially enrolled into Beacon Academy. No, she knew they would be.

"Are you lost, Weiss?" A gentle voiced called out.

She turned to look down the hall to see Pyrrha's beaming smile. Her facial expression reminded Weiss of an innocent child checking on her mother. The champion stepped forward and lowered her brows in worry. She admired the bright emerald eyes that Pyrrha possessed, and the mane of bloody red hair that graced along her backside. Pyrrha's figure was almost perfect with her angular curves and robust chest. She was the product of two beautiful parents no doubt.

"Uh, no, I was just preoccupied with my thoughts-where's the rest of your team?" Pyrrha's face brightened up and her small lips settled into a smile.

"Well, Nora and Ren are managing their weapons in the dorm room, and I... to be honest I wanted to check up on the rest of you." Pyrrha's tone was odd, as if she was worried about the state of their team.

It was true she and Yang were rivals now, and it must have been easy for everyone to see except for Jaune himself. Worst of all, Cardin Winchester was her partner; a thug whose family was known for being racist and greedy. Although, Jaune said to give him a chance and she wasn't one to doubt him. Perhaps there was a glimmer of hope in the ruffian.

"I'm doing okay, and Yang is with her uncle, Qrow, I believe his name is. As for Blake and Cardin I'm not sure where they are." Pyrrha nodded in understanding.

"Don't worry Weiss, things we'll get better once we've all completed the initiation." Weiss hummed in agreement. They were under pressure for good reasons.

"Thank you, Pyrrha, I'll keep that in mind."

She wasted enough time moping about the school and decided to finally check out her dorm room. Weiss didn't have to walk far down the halls until she reached room 507. The numbers were displayed in the middle with gold metal plates that were nailed into the wood. She pulled out her scroll and waved the device on the locking mechanism on the door. A soft click sounded and she turned the handle to be greeted by an expansive room with four comfy looking beds.

Within the room were two spacious closets with plenty of hangers and shelves to accompany their clothing. On each side in-between the beds, was an old wooden desk that looked polished for their arrival. The beds were covered in fine linen and blue sheets that sparkled like the ocean. Her eyes were drawn to the window overlooking the courtyard, and the panes that were smudged with fingerprints of old students.

In the corner of the room, Blake sat against the frame of one of the beds calmly reading a book. The Faunus almost scared Weiss half to death, the heiress stumbling backwards onto the bed across from her. Blake's eyes glanced up and a brief smile made its way to her thin lips.

"Sorry if I scared you."

She released a breath of relief. "No, it's okay, I just didn't expect anyone else to be here so soon. I suppose Cardin hasn't been by?" Blake shook her head.

"You're the first one," Blake responded. "Wasn't Yang with you...?" Weiss' face scrunched up in annoyance. She looked in the closet on the left and saw her bag.

At least she could unpack for a bit.

"Yang ran into her uncle and left for some business." She unzipped the first bag and examined her casual clothes. They were folded neatly by the staff and pressed for her arrival at Beacon. When was the last time she ever did laundry...?

"Her uncle, odd that he would be here."

"Odd does not do the man's description justice." Weiss said.

Blake titled her head in curiosity but shrugged, turning the page in her book. "So, what's the deal with you and Jaune?" Weiss dropped the gown in her hands and blushed.

"W-what are you talking about?" Her stammer didn't help much either.

"I'm not a fool, even if Yang thinks that no one else will notice. You both seem attracted to Jaune, though I can't understand why." Weiss lost her blush and furrowed her eyebrows in anger. Was Blake implying he didn't deserve the attention?

"And what is that supposed to mean?" She retorted.

"Don't take it as an insult, I was just asking why you and Yang are so fascinated with him." Weiss dropped her glare and sat back down on her bed.

"Well... I don't know about Yang, but to me, Jaune is a perfect gentleman-someone who actually cares about a person's soul and not what others define them as." She wasn't even embarrassed to say it.

"Jaune didn't care that I was Weiss Schnee, heiress of the Schnee Dust Company. I was just another person to him, someone I could honestly speak with... that's why I care so much about him Blake." Weiss gazed into Blake's amber eyes and held a resolute expression.

A smirk tugged on Blake's lips and she said: "Then you should tell him." Weiss jerked back at the statement. Of course she wanted to tell Jaune how she felt... but it was hard.

"I just, want to wait for the right time." Blake released a sigh and flipped another page from her book. Her sigh wasn't unwarranted, she was being difficult.

Maybe Yang was having the same problems as well.

* * *

Yang was having a problem ignoring the stench emitting from Qrow's body. She would have been used to it, but he drank such a variety that it blended together and came off as some new powerful alcoholic odor. That was why she bolted out of the car when it arrived in front of Signal. Even the city air was pleasant compared to the hotbox the vehicle became. She was definitely making him take a bath.

Signal wasn't like Beacon, especially in its design. While Beacon was known for its grand spires and castle-like architecture, Signal took on more of a modern look. The school was separated into four buildings that stretched across the streets of Vale. It was surrounded by wide brick walls that encircled the premises, while its building were circular. There were catwalks that students could cross to reach their next classes or dorms, and in the center was a clock tower that's hands jutted out like raised swords in a battle.

She didn't really miss it.

The halls of the school were filled with chatter from passing students. Yang ignored the odd stares from the underclassmen that recognized her and followed Qrow into the administrative building where Ruby was located. The walls were lined with posters advertising school events and local clubs that were recruiting new members. Beacon was so much more extravagant than the locker-filled halls; even the tiled floors were peeled and caked in dirt. Okay, maybe it wasn't that bad, but her years at Signal were dull and boring until Ruby showed up.

The administrative building was at the back of the campus facing the highway leading to the business district. The inside was lined with cubicles whose desks were piled in folders and books. She could smell the coffee in the air, the professors all indulging in the cheapest brand they could afford for the office. Qrow waved to a few teachers he worked with-winked to the female ones-and led her to the headmaster's main office. She still remembered that glass panel with his name etched on it.

"Alright, stay out here and let me talk to the headmaster." Qrow said as he pocketed the flask. She could still smell the booze off his breath.

"Sure no problem, not like I want to see him."

Yang sat down on the pew outside of the office like a student waiting to be punished. She mulled in her silence, hearing the distant clicks of keyboards in the background. How many times was she forced to sit out here just like this? Probably too often was the answer. She was a rambunctious student, and it was fun to cause a little mischief here and there. When Ruby arrived she calmed down, taking the stance as the positive role model that a little sister needed.

She heard the door click behind her and open. From the headmaster's office Ruby walked out with a slump, a downtrodden expression plastered on her gentle face. Her silver eyes widened in delight when she caught Yang's gaze, and she hopped over to steal a brief hug. "Yang, I can't believe you're here!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Yep, though I hear you got into some trouble?" Ruby deflated upon Yang's statement.

"Err, yeah... kind of."

"Kind of?" Yang giggled.

Ruby let out a sigh and twiddled with her fingers. "It's sort of a long story-at least they didn't punish me too harshly." Ruby's raspy chuckle caused Yang to grin.

She missed this.

"So what happened exactly?" The door clicked open again, and Qrow let out an exhausted sigh. He glanced between his two nieces and shot them a wary smirk.

"Yes, Ruby, I would love to hear the entire story." Ruby let out a squeak and retreated behind Yang.

"Let's go somewhere more private." Yang suggested.

Signal's garden was one of the more impressive sights of the academy, displaying a wide range of flowers from different kingdoms that students were allowed to take care of. Each year a new plant could be donated by students from a new region, encouraging cultural diversty. Yang found the spot relaxing when she wanted to get away from all the drama. She use to take Ruby there and have her take care of the roses, joking that her semblance would never let them die.

In the center of the garden was a set of tables that students could use to eat lunch, with the tent above shielding them from the bright rays of the sun. She took a seat beside Ruby and took in the aroma, the scent letting her slow down and forget about the initiation.

"Don't skip any details, I wanna hear all about this scrap." Qrow sat in the garden and pulled out his flask and took a quick swig.

"Okay... basically this boy I knew, Apricot, stared hanging around me for the last week or so and then asked if I wanted to go out sometime." Yang's jaw hung slightly, though she wasn't surprised at their age.

"And what happened," Qrow urged.

"Well, I wasn't really comfortable with the idea you know, I barely knew him," Ruby explained, earning frequent nods from the blonde. "So I said no, and he took it pretty badly-starting calling me names and such." Yang felt her blood rise in temperature, imagining her hands around Apricot's throat.

"Didn't you get in a fight with a girl?" Qrow asked.

"Yeah, he left and about an hour later this girl showed up with her friends. She didn't like how I rejected Apricot and started pushing me, saying mean things about Yang and dad." This bitch was next on her list.

"Did you hit her good?" Yang questioned.

"Both of us got in pretty good hits until the teacher broke us apart... I would have just walked away but." That's true, Ruby never let petty insults upset her.

"Okay I get it now," Qrow announced. "I know you're sad that Yang is at Beacon now, but you can't let your sadness cloud your judgment." Yang looked over at Ruby who pulled her hood over her face.

"I'm sorry Ruby..."

"It's okay, I won't let it happen again." Yang pulled her into a tight hug and caressed her raven locks. She should have been aware of how much Ruby missed her.

"Hey Qrow," She called out.

"Yeah, what is it?" He scratched his stubble.

Yang let go of Ruby and pulled her up. "Do you think Ozpin would let Ruby visit and watch our initiation?" Qrow titled his head, taken back by the question.

"I don't suppose it's impossible..." Ruby's smile grew to astronomical proportions. She sped around Yang with her semblance and cheered.

It was nice to see her sister brighten up.

"Might as well, she is suspended for one day." Ruby skidded to a halt with shock in her silver eyes. Did she really not know her punishment?

At least she could introduce her to Jaune tomorrow.


	7. A Young Girl's Amazement

Courting the Professor's Son

By wildstraydog

Chapter Seven: A Young Girl's Amazement

 **Not really much to say about this chapter, except that Ruby is now entering the story. I did say Ruby was going to come eventually. Hopefully you guys are still digging this story, let me know in the reviews.**

* * *

Yang watched in glee as Ruby zipped across Beacon's courtyard. Her eyes lit up like dazzling stars, admiring every little piece of architecture that sprouted up. It was the first time she got to experience Beacon up close, so she decided not to rain on her sister's parade. It was in the late afternoon and the sun was beginning to drift across the horizon, an orange hue developing in the once blue sky. If she looked up, the fragments from the shattered moon could be visible.

She had no idea where Ruby was going to stay, and that was if the headmaster allowed for it. She hadn't seen Jaune all day, almost forgetting about the handsome boy with all the ruckus her sister caused. That was the other thing that was bothering her; Ruby kept shooting her funny glances. She would giggle and then turn away in embarrassment. Was there something she was forgetting? She would discuss it with her before they went to sleep or Qrow dragged her away.

Away from Beacon all day, she still hadn't got the chance to look at her new dorm. Should they pass the initiation, it would be their permanent residence for the next four years. And Cardin would be across the room... it wasn't exciting, and also somewhat terrifying in a way. Contrary to popular Yang Xiao Long lore, she had never slept in the same room with a guy; excluding the collection of people in the ballroom the night before initiation started.

Cardin wouldn't dare try anything.

Would it be too forward if she snuck into bed with Jaune? Yeah, that wouldn't work out, Weiss would probably freeze them both in an instant. Talk about a mood killer.

"Yang," Ruby called out gleefully. "Are you seeing all of these weapons right now? I can't believe it!" Yang smiled back like she was actually interested.

"Don't get to carried away squirt," Qrow mumbled, brushing a stray rose petal from his shoulder. Her uncle hadn't touch his flask since they left Signal. Either he was out of alcohol or he was playing nice in front of all the passing students.

"So what are your teammates like Yang?"

How could she put this nicely? "Well, there's Blake, my partner-she doesn't talk much, but I'll break that wall. Than we have Weiss, an heiress from the Schnee Dust Company and a know-it-all. And then we have... Cardin, an oaf." Ruby only blinked in response at her blasé description of her teammates. What else did she expect?

"They sound great," Ruby commented.

Her eyes lit up once more when they crossed the courtyard and entered through the main entrance of the academy. The expansive corridors and towering pillars held up a structure that had been constructed hundreds of years ago. Silver eyes still darted to each weapon that hung from a student's waist or back; Yang was worried the young girl was about to die of shock. She was just hopeful her team would like Ruby.

"Yang," Qrow nudged her shoulder. "I'm going to ask Ozpin for permission for Ruby to stay-you can introduce her to your team while you wait." Letting Ruby stay at Beacon for a couple of days would be great.

It would put her somewhat at ease.

Qrow meandered off the path and headed toward the administrative building where the main tower of the academy was located. Ruby blinked at her uncle's retreating form and let out a sigh. She swiveled in place and shot a mischievous look on her innocent face.

"What's with that look?" Yang said with a chuckle.

"Soooo, where's this guy you talked about in your letter?" Yang blanched at the statement. She totally forgot that in her last letter to Ruby she might have mentioned Jaune.

Curse her honesty!

"Oh, the _guy..._ I was just making that up Ruby-you know, to make you feel better and thing about something else!" Yang explained with the least believability anyone could possess. Ruby gave her an incredulous gaze.

"You don't have to lie," She moved in closer. "He sounded really cool! I know the guy my big sister chooses will be one of the strongest Huntsman in Remnant!" Oh brother... that sounded so corny but sweet.

Yang released a tired sigh. "Maybe I'll introduce you to him one day-for now let's go meet my team and then get some dinner. I wanna be ready for anything that happens tomorrow." There was still the second part of initiation.

Perhaps with Ruby cheering her on from the sidelines, her spirits would buck up. She had to admit it was nice to have Ruby by her side again in such an unfamiliar setting. Even that pout she gave off at her aversion to Jaune was adorable, though she expected her to prod later on tonight for more information if possible.

Ruby's enthusiasm slowly died as they walked through the halls of the dorm. There wasn't much to look at save for the identical doors with gold plated letters on the front. She was still uneasy about her team meeting her little sister, especially Cardin. Yang could be patient, but when it came to Ruby she had a tendency to be overprotective. One insult and her fist would be sure to find its way to his ugly mug. Well, as long as Jaune didn't see her rage.

They stopped in front of the door and Yang rested a hand on Ruby's tiny shoulder. "Are you ready to meet my team? I'm sure you'll be welcomed with open arms." _At least I hope so anyway._

"Don't worry about me, I'll try and not be a bother." Yang couldn't help but grin at the response.

She released another sigh and swiped her scroll across the lock. The door creaked open and she opened it to see two of the beds already occupied by Blake and Weiss. The heiress was setting down a few supplies on one of the desks in the corner, while Blake flipped through another page of some novel she was reading. The binding appeared worn, and from Blake's focused stare on the text, it must have been a favorite. There were still two beds with clean linen sheets that she could choose from.

But where was Cardin?

"You've return... with company." Weiss stated. Ruby returned a short wave toward the heiress who narrowed her ice blue eyes in suspicion.

"Weiss, Blake, this is my younger sister, Ruby." Blake looked up from her novel and looked at Ruby with a mute expression. She gave a brief nod and returned to her book.

"Hey guys, it must be so cool to be at Beacon!"

Weiss relaxed in the wooden chair next to the desk and leaned on her arm for support. "Beacon is a magnificent institution, though our placements are still not guaranteed. Are you currently going to Signal...?" Yang was actually surprised at how cordial she was being with Ruby.

However, that look of scrutiny never left her face.

"Yep, well I got in trouble today... but I hope to try for Beacon to. I heard you guys start the second part of initiation tomorrow right?" Weiss' gaze shifted over to Yang with a look of disbelief.

"Yes, though we don't know what it entails," Weiss curtly answered. The ice queen seemed uncomfortable with discussing the specifics, perhaps because she believed that Ruby wasn't supposed to be privy.

"How long are you visiting?" Blake mumbled from behind her novel. Yang was just happy she was at least somewhat interested that she brought another family member along.

"Um, I think a day?" Ruby answered with an unsure expression at Yang. That was pretty much her answer as well until Qrow returned from Ozpin's office.

"Have you guys just been unpacking things all day?" Yang looked about the room and noticed that most of their belongings were in the closet on the left side of the room. She saw her bag lying on the side of one of the beds where she would be next to Cardin Winchester...

"I wanted to claim my bed," Weiss said. "Cardin has still yet to arrive, though I doubt we'll see him anytime soon-what kind of teammate is he?" Ruby looked hesitant to ask about their fourth member.

"He'll have to come around eventually for his stuff."

"If I were to guess, he's probably moping around his friends that Jaune mentioned." They were the only team to lack a third member; that would work against them if they lacked enough points in the second trial.

She kind of felt bad for them.

"Points?" Ruby innocently asked.

There was no way she was going to sit down and repeat the convoluted point system to Ruby. She could explain the basics and hopefully move on to a much lighter topic. She wanted to know more about this girl that tried to bully Ruby; that bitch was going to learn some manners.

"It's complicated, but basically we have to earn enough points to secure our spots in Beacon. Only question is, how will that system work tomorrow? There's still a bunch of students in the running." Weiss released a sigh at the comment and turned back to look at Yang.

"Knowing the headmaster, something eccentric I'm sure."

"Is Headmaster Ozpin really powerful?!" Ruby asked in excitement, her silver eyes sparkling at the possibilities of a professional Huntsman's weapon.

"Don't know," Yang answered. "But he walks around with an unusual looking cane." Ruby cooed at the description and imagined what the cane might shift into.

The door behind Yang creaked open, startling her and Ruby. The familiar breastplate of Cardin Winchester peaked through the door. Cardin wore a scowl on his well-cut features that immediately brought down the mood in the room. He waded through the two of them and stomped over to his bag that sat on the furthest corner bed. The room stayed silent, nobody sure how to broach a conversation.

Cardin pulled out a few clothes and opened the closet on the right, placing them on a few hangers. His appearance was more civil than she expected. Since no one else was going to be brave enough to ask where he been, Yang decided it was up to her to bring this team together somehow. They would barely last in the next trial if they couldn't cooperate. She would have liked Jaune, but this was what they were stuck up.

"What's up Cardin, where ya been?"

He grabbed a few more clothes and released a long sigh. "I was with some of my friends-they needed advice on how to approach initiation tomorrow." That was... actually honest.

"There's only three of them correct?" Weiss joined in the conversation. Yang could imagine that she was gritting her teeth and holding back from insulting the boy.

"Yeah... but I won't go easy on them-that would be insulting." She agreed. If they were good friends, I would be pissed if they held back just to make me feel better. They would have to just try harder.

"I'm sure you'll all pass!" Ruby semi-cheered.

"Who's the pipsqueak?" Yang snorted, holding back any laughter as Ruby deflated at the term. Compared to Cardin who towered over her, she was dwarf.

"This is Ruby Rose, my younger sister." He looked between the two of them and shrugged.

"You guys look nothing alike." Weiss' eyes widened at the rude comment. It might have been a bit crude, but he was right; they weren't similar in appearance at all. She was much taller and muscular than her sister's more fragile figure.

"That's because we're half-sisters."

"Ah, makes sense." Cardin said.

Cardin threw a few more clothes over his shoulder and made for the door. "I'm staying with my friends tonight, so you don't have to worry about me popping up in the middle of the night." He walked out the door, leaving behind befuddled expressions on all of their faces.

 _That went... better than I expected._

* * *

Jaune was given the rare chance to have dinner with his mother in downtown Vale. The night crept onto the city, the streets lighting up the dark sky, giving it an evening glow that warmed his heart at the sight. The venues and restaurants of the business district were still packed with customers shopping and catching late dinners. His mother offered to pay for his meal at some fancy restaurant with some name he wasn't able to properly pronounce; though he would before they left the establishment if his mother had anything to do with it.

There was a joyful quaint silence between the two at the large round booth the host chose for them. The candle that flickered in the center danced whenever a busy waiter passed by. The leather menus Jaune held in his hands were thick, offering a wide variety of dishes from across the kingdoms. He was nervous on what to choose, not wanting to embarrass his mother after she went through all the trouble.

"You don't need to be nervous." Glynda accurately suggested.

Jaune released a sigh. "I know, it's just I'm not used to these fancy restaurants in Vale. Even the galas we attended put me on edge." Those stuffy events dragged on for hours, save for the times he got to converse with Weiss.

"What sort of meal are you desiring then?"

"Well," Jaune glanced over the menu. "That ravioli dish looks appetizing... that and an appetizer of fried squid sounds delicious." His mother nodded in approval and set her menu down to get the waiter's attention.

"Have you, spoken to dad since I've arrived?" Glynda's expression went rigid for only a moment.

"I did," She briefly answered. "He was proud of you." Jaune chuckled, but that wasn't what he really wanted to know. While foolish at heart, he always wanted his family to get along with each other.

His half mother never held any anger towards Glynda. But his father always brought up memories that his mother didn't want to revisit. He couldn't blame her; how must have it felt to see your ex-husband remarried and living a happy life with seven other children? Jaune always wanted to be a Huntsman, but going to Beacon was also a dream of his. It allowed him to be next to his mother for the next four years, an opportunity to rekindle their distant relationship.

She ordered their dinner and took a modest sip of her glass, the champagne going down gently in her throat and tickling her taste buds. Jaune smiled, enjoying his mother's brightened expression. "What time are we supposed to wake up tomorrow for the initiation?"

"All the details will be sent."

"About Qrow's offer-" Glynda wretched forward, swallowing the alcohol too fast.

"Yes, what about it?"

"I think it might be a good chance to earn more experience and grow as a Huntsman, but-I know you're somewhat against me spending time with Yang's uncle." Glynda shifted in her seat and took another quick sip from her glass.

"Jaune, I'm not against you gaining more experience. It's just, Qrow Branwen has a very versatile training regimen that's not... I should say unorthodox. Once you've secured your spot in Beacon we can talk about this more." He nodded, not wanting to question his mother on such a peaceful night.

He looked out the window and admired the bright stars that began to flicker in the sky. Glynda used to point out the different constellations when he was younger, the two of them wrapped up in a warm blanket. The memory brought a warm smile to his face, and he imagined what new memories they could both create throughout the school year.

* * *

"So can I sleep in here with you guys tonight?!" Ruby excitedly asked. Weiss had made herself comfortable in her light blue gown and watched Yang's litter sister prattle on about how amazing the school was.

It was very annoying.

"Uh, let's see what Qrow says first," Yang said.

"Okay," Ruby chirped. "If I stay it will be like one big sleepover-although you guys do have to get up early tomorrow morning." At least she had some tact; they didn't need a fifteen-year-old girl playing around during initiation.

A light rap on the door answered her prayers. Yang twisted the knob, revealing the form of a stressed out uncle, his brows knitted and lips curved into a frown. If she had to guess, the man probably got chewed out by Headmaster Ozpin for his dubious behavior on the campus.

"Hey girls," Qrow greeted. "So good news Ruby, you'll be able to stick around and watch the initiation. And no, you can't spend the night in here." Ruby's expression deflated into a pout at the latter.

 _The uncle actually saved the day for once._

"I don't suppose he told you anything about what's going to happen tomorrow?" Yang asked with an odd sweetness in her tone. She leaned toward her uncle and tried to flash some puppy dog eyes; it didn't faze him at all.

"Nice try."

"Ah, damn, at least I tried girls." Yang gave a light shrug and went back over to her bed. Nice frilly pink sheets covered the top. She didn't expect the tomboy to have such girly tastes in her bedding.

"Good luck girls, you'll need it." Qrow chuckled.

They all shot him a suspicious look before he dragged Ruby out of the room by force. Despite his lackadaisical attitude, their uncle knew what was coming tomorrow. Whatever the challenge that waited tomorrow, she needed some sleep.

"I'll win for sure tomorrow... _Ice Queen._ " Yang whispered before crawling under her sheets.

Weiss caught the subtle challenge that seeped through the room. She narrowed her eyes toward the blonde and turned off the light in the room. Blake was asleep, somehow blocking out Qrow's bickering and Ruby's depressed moans. She would accept the challenge.

Jaune wouldn't fall in the hands of that seductress.


End file.
